Congress lambasts Centre's offer to unions on farm laws; reiterates 'repeal' demand

Even as Centre has offered to stay implementation of three farm laws for one and a half years, Congress party opined that this would t resolve impasse. Congress communications in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala questioned rationale of this proposal citing that flaws in laws would remain even after one and a half years. Moreover, he alleged that Centre was showing arrogance by t repealing agrarian laws altoger. Earlier in day, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi dubbed this as ar false promise to protesting farmers and reiterated demand to roll back legislation.  farmers' unions have agreed to consider this proposal and promised to get back to Union government with ir response at 12 pm on January 22.

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What are farm laws? 

Farmers' Produce Tre and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aims at freeing  farmers from constraints of state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby y would be able to sell ir produce anywhere. Meanwhile,  Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to eng with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. This entails provision of contract farming. On or hand,  Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances. 

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SC panel interacts with 10 farm unions

Meanwhile, Supreme Court-constituted committee held its first meeting with farmers' unions across country via video conferencing to resolve standoff over farm laws. Even as BKU president Bhupinder Singh Mann has opted out of panel, three or members- agricultural ecomist Ashok Gulati, Pramod Kumar Joshi- Director, South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute and Shetkari Sanghatana president Anil Ghanwat interacted with 10 farm unions from Karnataka, Kerala, Mhya Presh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nu and Uttar Presh. se unions t only gave ir frank views about agrarian laws but also gave suggestions to improve implementation of laws.

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