Farmers' R-Day tractor march plan in SC; Prepared for stir till May 2024, says BKU leader

Agitating farmer unions on Sunday remained firm on holding a tractor rally on Republic Day and vowed to continue ir stir till Agri laws are repealed, even as Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar urged m to discuss alternatives to scrapping legislation at next meeting scheduled for January 19.

"We are prepared to sit in protest till May 2024... Our demand is that three laws be taken back and government provide a legal guarantee on MSP," Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leer Rakesh Tikait told reporters in Nagpur.

statement indicating little change in unions' stand came ahe of Supreme Court hearing on Monday on issue of agri bills and ongoing protests on Delhi's borders for over 50 days. top court would also hear on Monday a plea of central government, filed though Delhi Police, seeking an injunction against proposed tractor march or any or kind of protest by farmers "which seeks to disrupt garing and celebrations" of Republic Day on January 26.

dressing a press conference at Singhu border protest site, union leer Yogendra Yav said, "We will carry out a tractor pare on Outer Ring Ro in Delhi on Republic Day. pare will be very peaceful." "re will be disruption of Republic Day pare. farmers will put up national flag on ir tractors," he said. Stressing that farmer unions should give up ir stubborn stand after apex court's stay on laws on January 12, Agriculture Minister Tomar said y should come for a clause by clause discussion on Tuesday.

"w that Supreme Court has stayed implementation of se laws, n re is question of being stubborn," Tomar told reporters before leaving for his home constituency of Morena in Mhya Presh.

government wants farmer leers to come for a clause by clause discussion at next meeting on January 19. Except for demand of repealing laws, government is rey to consider "seriously and with an open heart" or alternatives, he said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah too reached out, saying Narendra Modi government is dedicated to farmers and three central farm laws would ensure a manifold hike in ir earnings.

Since coming to power, Modi government h increased budget for farm sector and also minimum support price (MSP) for various crops, he said at an event in Bagalkote district in Karnataka. "I want to say that if re is any big priority of Narendra Modi government it is to double farmers' income," he said.

apex is also likely to take up issue of a member recusing himself from panel appointed by it to end impasse between agitating farmer unions and central government and may appoint ar person in his place. committee has received terms of reference and will begin its work from January 21, its member Anil Ghanwat said.

"We are meeting on January 19 at Pusa campus. Only members will meet to decide future course of action," Ghanwat, President of Shetkari Sanghatana (Maharashtra), told PTI.

"One of four members has backed out of committee. If apex court does t appoint a new member, existing members will continue," he said.

Bhartiya Kisan Union president Bhupinder Singh Mann h recused himself from committee last week.  Apart from Ghanwat, agri-ecomists Ashok Gulati and Pramod Kumar Joshi are or panel members. On Saturday, farmer union, Bhartiya Kisan Union Lokshakti, filed an affidavit requesting top court to remove remaining three members of committee and select people who can do job "on basis of mutual harmony".

farmers' body said principle of natural justice is going to be violated as those appointed to four-member committee "have alrey supported se laws". It has also sought dismissal of a plea of central government, filed though Delhi Police, seeking an injunction against proposed tractor march on January 26.

dressing a press conference in Nagpur, BKU leer Tikait ted that y h welcomed SC's stay on implementation of farm laws, but said committee formed by apex court has members who "supported" farm bills. "We do t want to go before committee formed by court. government has also said that government and farmers will find a solution on this issue," he said.

Dismissing allegations that protest was being fuelled by "rich farmers", Tikait said people from vills and various outfits have joined agitation. "This is an ideological revolution that started from Delhi and will t fail. Farmers from vills do t want us to return until three farm bills are taken back," he said.

" government is amant on its stance of t withdrawing bills and this agitation will continue for long," Tikait ded.

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Presh, are protesting at various border points of Delhi against three laws -- Farmers' Produce Tre and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act.

Asked about government holding parallel talks with protesting farmer unions after setting up of SC panel, its member Ghanwat said, "We have issue if a solution is found and protests end from eir (efforts of) our panel or from government's separate talks with protesting farmer unions."

"Let (Government) m continue discussion, we have been given a duty and we will focus on that," he ded.

So far, government has held nine rounds of formal talks with 41 farmer unions but has failed to break logjam as latter have stuck to ir main demand of a complete repeal of three Acts. In last meeting, Centre h suggested that unions constitute ir own informal group to prepare a concrete proposal on three farm laws for furr discussion at ir next meeting on January 19 to end long-running protest at various Delhi borders.

Meanwhile, farmer union leer Darshan Pal Singh alleged that National Investigation ncy (NIA) is filing cases against those who are part of protest or supporting it. "All farmer unions condemn this," Pal said, referring to NIA summons reportedly issued to a farmer union leer in a case related to banned Sikhs For Justice outfit. Asked about issue, Tikait said, "Those who want to be part of agitation must be rey for court cases, imprisonment and sealing of property." He said farmers h to start agitation as opposition parties were weak.

Congress also alleged that NIA is w being used against farmers and said y will t be cowed down by ir tices. Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala questioned government's intention behind sending tices to farmers from ncies meant to probe terrorists. Enacted in September 2020, government has presented se laws as major farm reforms aimed at increasing farmers' income, but protesting farmers have raised concerns that se legislation would weaken minimum support price (MSP) and "mandi" (wholesale market) systems and leave m at mercy of big corporations.