Haryana farmers' group meet Agri Min Tomar; submit memorandum backing three Farm Laws

As farmers plan to block Rajasthan-Delhi border as part of their protest against the Centre's Farm Laws, several farm leaders from Haryana met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday and submitted a memorandum of support for the laws. Tomar claimed that the farmers shared their experiences on how these laws are benefitting them. Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and others, continue to stage a protest around Delhi's borders for the 17th consecutive day, demanding a rollback of these laws.

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Tomar: 'Several farmers issued support to farm laws'

Meanwhile, several farmers belonging to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Tomar in Delhi. Sanyukta Kisan Andolan leader Kamal Preet Singh Pannu has announced that thousands of farmers will begin a tractor march tomorrow at 11 am from Shahjahanpur in Rajasthan and will block Jaipur-Delhi main road. Moreover, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee's  Sardar VM Singh said that Uttar Pradesh farmers must be included in the talks with the Centre so that they could put forth their demand of MSP for every vegetable.

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Farmers protest continue

Rejecting the Centre's proposed amendment to the three Farm Laws,  farmers have stayed firm on their demand of total repeal of the Farm acts, stating a 'lack of trust' on the Modi government. The farm union leaders were sent a 10-point proposal by the Centre assuring to give written guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), empowering states to create a law which will prevent misuse of traders' registration, continuing current electricity bill payment done by the government and amend the stubble burning penalty clause. The Centre has requested the farmers to stop their protests at Delhi's borders, and continue with next round of talks.  Farmers have retaliated by approaching the Supreme Court seeking a total repeal of the laws and a nationwide farm waiver.

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As the country opened up after lockdown, the Centre promulgated three ordinances affecting agriculture. Agriculture foodstuff including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions, and potato are to be deregulated while stock limits were to be imposed only under extreme conditions, under the amendment to the Essential Commodities act. The Farmers' produce trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act was to enable better price realisation for farmers by attracting investments - making the agriculture sector competitive.  Under the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm services ordinance, 2020, it provided a framework for the protection and empowerment of farmers with reference to the sale and purchase of farm products overriding all state APMC laws. Punjab government has passed laws annulling the Centre's laws.

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