Centre permits farmers to enter Delhi to protest against Farm Laws amid agitation

In a major development on Friday, the Centre allowed thousands of farmers to enter Delhi for staging a protest against the three Farm Laws passed by the Parliament. The 'Delhi Chalo' agitation has seen a standoff between thousands of farmers marching mostly from Punjab and Haryana towards the national capital and the police reportedly resorting to the use of tear gas and water cannons to prevent them from proceeding further. On the other hand, visuals from the Shambhu inter-state border with Punjab showed that protesters threw stones at the barricades, lifted them and dropped them into the river. 

Earlier in the day, the Delhi Police had enhanced the deployment of security personnel, stationed sand-laden trucks and used barbed wire for fencing at the Singhu and Tikri border points (Delhi-Haryana border). However, the police permitted the farmers to protest at the Nirankari Samagam Ground in the Burari area after holding talks with them. Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava appealed to the farmers to maintain law and order and demonstrate peacefully. It is pertinent to note that Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has already held two rounds of discussions with farmer unions from Punjab and has called them for more talks on December 3. 

Read: Khattar Asks Farmers To Be Wary Of People Trying To Mislead Them On Farm Laws

 Read: Farm Laws Signature Petition On Its Way To Sonia: Maha Cong

What are the agrarian laws? 

On June 5, President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. After bills to replace these ordinances were cleared by both Houses of Parliament in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, they were signed into law by the President on September 27. The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere.

Meanwhile, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. This entails the provision of contract farming. On the other hand, The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances. Besides inviting opposition from parties such as Congress, Shiv Sena, NCP, AAP, TRS, JD(S), CPI(M), DMK, CPI and SP, BJP's own ally SAD quit NDA. Concerns have been raised about the possible exploitation of farmers by big corporates and the applicability of the MSP.

Read: SAD Slams Centre Over Inconclusive Talks With Farmer Unions, Demands Repeal Of Farm Laws

Read: Centre Holds Meeting With Punjab Farmers In New Delhi, Reassures Them Over Farm Laws