Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait has said that if the Central government agrees to their six demands before January 26 next year, then they would end their agitation. The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader said the issues over which they have been protesting include not just the three farm laws, which the government has decided to withdraw, but also MSP and the death of over 700 farmers over the past year.
“The government has made the announcement and they can bring the proposal. But MSP and 700 farmers’ deaths are also our issues. The government should hold talks over these also. If the government agrees before 2 January, then we will go back. We will speak on the issue of election after the model code of conduct comes into force,” Tikait was quoted as saying by ANI.
It may be noted here that several states go to elections next year, including Punjab and Uttar Pradesh – two centre points of the farmers’ agitation against the three farm laws.
It is expected that the Union Cabinet will give its approval to the proposal to withdraw the three farm laws at a meeting Wednesday evening.
“Union Cabinet is likely to take up on Wednesday, November 24 the withdrawal of the three Farm laws for approval. The Bills for withdrawal of the laws shall then be introduced in the forthcoming Parliament session,” sources in the government told ANI.
It may be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last Friday announced during his address to the nation that the government has decided to repeal the three contentious farm laws. The government has now listed ‘The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021’ in the legislative business to be taken up in Lok Sabha during the Winter Session of Parliament which is starting on November 29.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers’ unions, had on Sunday written an open letter to PM Modi and reiterated their six pending demands apart from the repeal of the three farm laws. These include:
- Sovereign guarantee for Minimum Support Price or MSP
- Withdrawal of cases against farmers in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other states
- Allocation of land at Singhu border to construct a memorial for those who died during the protest against the three farm laws and compensation for the families of the dead
- Withdrawal of proposed Electricity Amendment Bill (2020-2021)
- Removal of penal provisions in the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act-2021
- Sacking of MoS (Home) Ajay Mishra whose son Ashish Mishra is an accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri killings
