NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, DEC 17
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar through his letter to farmers has made an effort to engage in a humble dialogue, and appealed to the ”annadaatas” to read it.
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Tomar, in an eight-page open letter to farmers, said the Modi government is committed to the welfare of farmers and stressed that the new agri laws are aimed at benefiting small and marginal farmers.
“Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has written a letter to farmer brothers and sisters and expressed his feelings, he has made an effort to engage in a humble dialogue. I request all ”annadaatas” (farmers), do read it. I also request all the people of the country to ensure that this letter reaches more and more people,” Modi tweeted in Hindi.
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Accusing the Congress and other opposition parties of spreading falsehoods on the new farm laws, Tomar, in his letter, also appealed to the agitating farmers not to fall prey to these “white lies” and said the Centre is ready to address all their concerns.
Tomar, who is leading the negotiation with about 40 farmer unions along with Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, asserted that there are no provisions in these laws for taking control of farmers’ land by corporate.
Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting at Delhi borders against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020.
At least five rounds of formal talks have been held between the three Union Ministers and 40 farmer unions to break the deadlock.
The unions, however, are demanding a complete roll back of the central laws. Last week, the Centre had sent a proposal to these unions, stating that it would give a written assurance that the minimum support price (MSP) system will remain and also redress their other key concerns.
Shah holds meeting with ministers, BJP general secretaries
Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah on Thursday held a meeting with Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, and Narendra Singh Tomar to discuss the ongoing farmers” agitation.
The meeting was held at the BJP head office here and was also attended by the party’s general secretaries CT Ravi, Dushyant Gautam, and Arun Singh among others. It lasted for more than an hour.
According to sources, during the meeting Shah reviewed the BJP’s outreach programme through press conferences and ‘chaupals’ or open meetings across all districts of the country to allay fears on the new farm laws.
Since the large-scale farmers’ agitation began a few weeks ago, the BJP has been organising press conferences and ”chaupals” in all the districts of the country on the new agriculture-related bills passed recently by the Central government.
The party has planned to hold 700 press conferences and 700 ”chaupals” in the coming days.
Shah has been holding meetings with Union Ministers on the protest issue and has also met farmers’ leaders.
Farmers to consult lawyers to decide next course of action
Farmer leaders on Thursday said they will consult senior lawyers, including Colin Gonsalves, Dushyant Dave, and Prashant Bhushan, before deciding the next course of action after the Supreme Court said it was thinking of setting up an “impartial and independent” panel of agriculture experts and peasants” unions to resolve the deadlock over the contentious farm laws.
The protesting farmer leaders welcomed the apex court’s move to acknowledge the right of farmers to non-violent protests, but asserted that their agitation will continue until a concrete solution is found.
“We will meet senior lawyers Colin Gonsalves, Dushyant Dave, H S Phoolka, and Prashant Bhushan on Friday and consult them about what can be done,” Abhimanyu Kohar, a leader of the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sabha, said.
He said the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of around 40 farmer unions protesting at Delhi’s border points, has not received any notice from the Supreme Court, adding that it will comment on the matter only after seeing a copy of the court’s order.
Senior Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Dharampal Malik said a technical team has been formed by the union, adding that the Centre should first make its stance clear on whether it wants to put the contentious farm laws on hold.
“We will first read the Supreme Court’s order, consult our lawyers and then decide the next course of action,” he said.
Meanwhile, the protesting farmers observed a two-minute silence on Thursday to pay their respects to Sikh preacher Sant Ram Singh, who allegedly committed suicide at the Singhu border on Wednesday.
Govt launches e-booklet highlighting success stories of farmers benefitting from new agri laws
As farmers intensify their protest seeking repeal of three farm laws, the government on Thursday issued an e-booklet highlighting the success stories of farmers who have benefited from contract farming after the enactment of these legislations.
In the 100-page e-booklet ”Putting Farmers First”, the government said it has made clear the “truth” about the farm reforms and has mentioned “what will happen” and “what will not happen” for farmers. It also asserted that reforms in the farm sector were undertaken step by step in the last six years keeping in mind the needs of farmers.
The government asserted that the three farm laws were enacted in September after “two decades of consultations.”
Highlighting briefly the success stories of farmers who have benefitted from the new laws, the government said: “There are many success stories already for such market access across various states.”
“Nearly 1,300 farmers in the Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh recently agreed with Fortune Rice to produce export quality paddy and are earning 15-20 percent higher income,” it said.
More than 2,500 potato farmers across north Gujarat are earning nearly Rs 40,000 more per acre under agreement with potato processing company HyFun Foods, it said.
Over 1,000 seed potato farmers across Punjab, northern Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh are earning guaranteed 35 percent margin above cost under the agreement with Technico Agri Sciences Ltd, the government said.
These growers have benefited from the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.
On what will not happen for farmers due to these reforms, the government said, “MSP will not go away. APMC (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee) mandis will not be closed. Farmers” land will not be taken away by anyone for any reason.”
It said further, buyers cannot make any changes to farmers’ land. Buyers cannot cheat farmers and contractors cannot end agreement without full payment, the government added.
On the advantages the laws will give to farmers, the government said under the contract agreement, farmers can fix prices for produce even before growing it.
Farmers can end agreements anytime they wish. Buyers must pay on time or face legal action, it said.
The three laws aim to provide better lives for farmers and jobs for the rural youth, the government said.
Contrary to allegations by rival parties, the government in the booklet said the farm laws were brought after two decades of consultation.
“…the extensive consultation process on agricultural marketing reforms had spread over two decades, during which different governments headed by different political parties had all proceeded in the same direction and recommended similar things,” it said.
“As a culmination of this process, on June 3, 2020, the Union Cabinet after its 21st May consultation with states on Ordinances, approved the promulgation of two ordinances: The Farmers” Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, as well as the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020,” the government said.
After promulgating the Ordinances, the Centre worked to sensitize farming communities, FPOs, and cooperatives, etc. to raise awareness on the advantages of ”One Nation One Market” and explain the Ordinances” benefits, it said.
After debate and discussion, Lok Sabha passed both the bills on September 17 and Rajya Sabha on September 20.
