Government May Offer Key Assurance On Prices In Talks With Farmers: 10 Points

Farmers Protest in Delhi: Farmers are camped out at four busy border points of the national capital to press their demands, under heavy police deployment.

Farmers Protesting in Delhi: The protest has entered the eighth day.

New Delhi: The government is holding a meeting with the protesting farmers on the contentious farm laws, which it expects will resolve the eight-day deadlock that saw thousands camping around the national capital. The farmers have demanded a special session of parliament to repeal the laws, saying this is the "last chance" for the government. After a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah today, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh appealed to both sides to resolve the issue, saying the unrest affects his state's economy as well as national security. Sources said the government is considering a written assurance about the continuance of the Minimum Support Price, the biggest concern of the farmers.

Here are the top 10 updates on farmers' protest:

  1. The farmers' representatives have made a presentation on the inadequacies of the contentious new farm laws and the government is giving its views now, sources have said.
  2. At the lunch break during today's meeting, farmers have refused to  have the food offered by the government, sources said. "They offered us food, we denied and are sticking to our langar which we have brought with us," a farmer leader said.
  3. Ahead of the meeting, farmers said just legalising the Minimum Support Price "will not serve the purpose". "Nothing less than repealing the three farmer laws" will do, farmer representatives said. "We will not leave till the government repeals the three farmer acts. We will give our demands again," they added.
  4. Sources said the government is considering farmers' demand to approach the courts in case of a dispute over contract farming. Under the current rules, such a dispute can only be resolved by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate.
  5. Parkash Singh Badal, Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former Punjab Chief Minister, has returned his Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award, to protest against the "betrayal of farmers" by the government.
  6. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who met Union Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the farmers' meeting, said he "requested him to resolve the issue as it affects the economy of my state and security of the nation".
  7. The Delhi-Meerut Expressway has been shut after it became clogged with incoming tractors and trucks on protesting farmers from Punjab. The Chilla border is also blocked for Noida to Delhi passage, though the other side remains open. The National Highway-9, another entry point to Delhi has been closed. The DND flyway to Noida, however, is open.
  8. Farmers are camped out at four busy entry points of the national capital -- Singhu, Noida, Ghazipur and Tikri -- to press their demands. Farmers from Uttar Pradesh are holding a sit-in protest at the Noida-Delhi border for the third straight day.  In Singhu, farmers who have fever, will be given free Covid tests.
  9. Tuesday's meeting between farmer leaders and the Centre fell through as the farmers' representatives turned down the government's second pitch for a committee to discuss the farm laws. The next day, Union minister Amit Shah met Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and his cabinet colleague Piyush Goyal to discuss the meeting.
  10. Thousands of farmers, who have braved water cannons, tear gas and police barricades, began their protest last week against the farm laws, aimed at doing away with middlemen and allowing them to sell produce anywhere in the country. Farmers say the laws will deprive them of the minimum prices fixed by the government and leave them at the mercy of corporates.

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