In a mega outreach to protesting farmers, the Centre has reportedly sent a new proposal, offering “immediate” suspension of all cases against farmers, sources told News18.
In Delhi, 39 cases were registered against farmers protesting against the agricultural laws, the union home ministry had informed Parliament in February. A senior police official had earlier told News18 that the cases have been filed by the state against farmers and, if the government decides, they can be withdrawn by filing an affidavit in court.
The development comes after a crucial meeting called by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) at Singhu Border to decide the fate of the year-long farmers’ agitation began with the five-member panel pointing out “flaws” in the Centre’s earlier proposal to end the stalemate.
Speaking to the media, Ashok Dhawale, member of SKM’s committee said: “We appreciate that the government is ready for talks and is giving something in writing but the proposal had a few flaws, so last night, we sent it back with some amendments and are awaiting their response.”
Pointing out issues with the proposal, Dhawale said the formation of an MSP-focused committee is needed, including members from the farmers’ union. “The government also said that the cases registered against us will be taken back after we finish the movement, which is wrong. We don’t like sitting here in the cold.”
On the subject of compensation to kin of farmers who died during the protest, he said the relief “has been approved theoretically, we need something concrete like the Punjab model”. “They also promised to take back the electricity bill, but now they want to discuss it with the stakeholders and then put it up in the Parliament. It’s contradictory.”
The panel is scheduled to meet Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to discuss farmers’ issues and pending demands. They are also likely to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Afterwards a decision is likely after the SKM’s 2pm meeting, a senior farmer leader said.
The SKM, which has been spearheading the agitation, formed a five-member panel on Saturday to hold talks with the government on the pending demands of the protesting farmers, including a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) of crops, compensation to the kin of the farmers who died during the agitation against three agriculture laws and the withdrawal of cases against the protesters.
Sources told News18 that the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will take the final call on the move, which comes after the central government sent a written draft to the SKM’s five-member committee about the issues raised by protesting farmers.
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