How farmers protest against the 3 new laws have unfolded over the months

TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Updated: Feb 2, 2021, 15:50 IST

NEW DELHI: Four months after the contentious agriculture bills were passed in Parliament, protests by farmers have continued unabated in several states of the country, including at various borders of the national capital.

We look at the 3 farm bills and the major events that unfolded in these four months.

THE BILLS

1. Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce(Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020

Provisions
* To create an ecosystem where farmers and traders enjoy the freedom to sell and purchase farm produce outside registered 'mandis' under states' APMCs.
* To promote barrier-free inter-state and intra-state trade of farmers' produce
* To reduce marketing/transportation costs and help farmers in getting better prices
* To provide a facilitative framework for electronic trading

2. The Farmer (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020

Provisions
* Farmers can enter into a contract with agribusiness firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters or large retailers for the sale of future farming produce at a pre-agreed price
* Marginal and small farmers, with land less than five hectares, to gain via aggregation and contract (Marginal and small farmers account for 86% of total farmers in India)
* To transfer the risk of market unpredictability from farmers to sponsors
* To enable farmers to access modern tech and get better inputs
* To reduce cost of marketing and boost farmer's income.
* Farmers can engage in direct marketing by eliminating intermediaries for full price realisation
* Effective dispute resolution mechanism with redressal timelines.

3. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020

Provisions
* To remove commodities like cereals, pulses, oilseeds, onion and potatoes from the list of essential commodities. It will do away with the imposition of stockholding limits on such items except under "extraordinary circumstances" like war
* This provision will attract private sector/FDI into farm sector as it will remove fears of private investors of excessive regulatory interference in business operations.
* To bring investment for farm infrastructure like cold storages, and modernising food supply chain.
* To help both farmers and consumers by bringing in price stability.
* To create a competitive market environment and cut wastage of farm produce.

THE TALKS

The first round of talks took place on October 14 between 29 representatives of the farm unions of Punjab and Union agriculture secretary Sanjay Agarwal. The farmers handed over a letter of eight demands, including repealing of the laws, to the secretary.
A month later on November 13, the second round of talks took place. Minister of agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar and minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal, on behalf of the government, held a meeting with farm leaders of Punjab. The meeting lasted for seven hours.
The farmers were represented by All India Kisan Sangarsh Coordination Committee, the umbrella organisation of 250 farmer groups.
On December 1, during the third round of talks, the Centre offered to set up a five-member committee. However, the farmers insisted on a special session of Parliament to repeal the laws.
The next two round of meetings also failed to conclude.
On December 30, in the sixth round, some common ground was reached on two demands — decriminalisation of stubble-burning and continuation of power subsidies.
On January 8, the eighth round of meeting had remained inconclusive as the Centre ruled out repealing the three contentious laws claiming nationwide support for the reforms. However, farmer leaders had said that they were ready to fight till death and their 'ghar waapsi' would happen only after 'law waapsi'.
On January 11, the Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of the three laws till further orders and appointed a four-member panel to resolve the impasse.
On January 15, during the ninth round of talks, the government urged farmer unions to form an informal group among themselves and prepare concrete proposals that will be taken up for discussion in the next meeting.
The 11th round of negotiations broke down with both the sides not ready to climb down from their respective positions. While the farmers remained adamant on the repeal of the three agri laws, the government asked them to consider their offer of suspending the implementation of the Acts up one-and-a-half years.

THE PROTESTS

In August 2020, minor protests erupted in Punjab when the farm bills became public. Following the passage of the bills in September, protests erupted in various parts of the country. Protests have been reported from Punjab, Haryana, Western UP, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Kerala and other states. Railway services were forced to remain suspended.
On September 24, several farmers union started 'Rail roko" campaign in Punjab. It resulted in the disruption of rail traffic in Punjab for several weeks.
On November 25, farmers gave the call of 'Dilli Chalo'. The agitating farmers clashed with police at the borders of Delhi, resulting in several injuries. The police deployed water cannons, launched teargas, blocked roads using sand barriers and dug roads to stop farmers from entering the national capital.
By December there were thousands of farmers staging sit-in protests outside the borders of the capital. The farmers gave a call for Bharat bandh on December 8.
On December 9, farmers union leaders met Union home minister Amit Shah. The meeting failed to break the deadlock.
On January 7, union leaders announced they would be holding tractor rally on Republic Day.
On January 26, Farmers enters capital, clash with police, hoist flags on Red Fort
Later, farmers leaders announce that they would be marching to Parliament on February 1 at the time of Union budget.
In anticipation of the march, Delhi police constructed concrete barriers and installed iron nails on roads leading to the capital.

How farmers protest against the 3 new laws have unfolded over the months

We look at the 3 farm bills and the major events that unfolded in these four months.

THE BILLS

THE TALKS

THE PROTESTS

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