Farmers on 'maun vrat' during talks, govt proposes another round on Dec 9

Farmers group went on a maun vrat (vow of silence) during their fifth round of talks with the government and sought a reply in yes or no on their key demand of repealing the three new farm laws, union leaders said.

As their meeting with three union ministers, including Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, continued for nearly four hours at the Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, farmer leaders told the government to reply in “black and white” that whether it will repeal the laws or not.

“Farmer union leaders are sitting on a maun vrat,” Punjab Kisan Union leader Ruldhu Singh said. Kavitha Kuruganti of AIKSCC (All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee) said the government was not responding to the pinpointed question of farmer leaders.

Gurlabh Singh Mahal, legal advisor to Punjab Kisan Union, also said the farmer leaders wanted the government to answer in yes or no. Some farmer leaders present in the meeting were seen putting finger on their lips and holding a paper written Yes or No on that. “All members of delegation have decided to keep silent. The government side is trying to draw us out. But there is utter silence from our side,” Kuruganti said.

The talks, however, ended in a deadlock. The government has proposed another meeting on December 9 with representatives of the protesting farmers.

Sources said the government proposed another round of meeting on December 9 next week as it sought some time from the unions to present a concrete proposal after further consultations within the government.

Agriculture Ministry later tweeted that the fifth round of talks has ended. Union leaders said they do not want anything less than the complete repeal of the laws, which they claim are intended to end the mandi system and minimum support price procurement system to  benefit corporates.

During the meeting, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar appealed to the union leaders to send back the elderly, women and children to their homes from the protest sites.

During the fifth round of talks, farmers asked the government to make its stance known on the points raised in the previous round in writing and said that they are not in favour of any further talks if a resolution cannot be found soon.

Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who are holding discussions with the farmer leaders, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his official resident. They are said to have discussed amending the laws to pacify the farmers.

The farmers, however, said that the amendments proposed by the government would not be sufficient and that they will stop the protests only when the three laws are completely repealed. “We want the withdrawal of the laws. We won’t accept government’s offer to amend the laws,” ANI quoted a farm leader as saying.     

Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary said that farmers’ doubts will be cleared in Saturday’s meeting with Centre. “In recent meetings, some issues were clarified. It’s Opposition’s politics, they’re instigating the protest. The meeting will be fruitful and we expect farmers will roll back protest,” he said.

The farmers have called for a Bharat bandh on December 8. Nothing less than the repeal of the three laws is acceptable to us,” said a HS Lakhowal, a BKU.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu reached the UP-Delhi border to support the farmers. “This government is anti-farmer. We demand that the new laws be withdrawn,” he said.

On Canada’s criticism of India on farmers’ demands, Dr Vijay Chauthaiwale, BJP’s foreign affairs department in-charge tweeted that it is nothing but hypocrisy. “Canada is strident critic of MSP and other agriculture policies at the WTO, and often questions India’s domestic agriculture measures including food and livelihood security,” he said.

Also read: India summons envoy of Canada over Trudeau’s farmers’ stir comments

“Canada is a member of the Cairns Group of agri exporters, whose objective in WTO (World Trade Organization) negotiations is to seek increased market access in countries like India. It seeks reduction in the agri subsidies provided to domestic producers, even if such subsidies are subsistence-level,” Chauthaiwale tweeted.

From the government side, there are indications that it would offer a written assurance to farmers on Minimum Support Price (MSP) and may agree to look at some specific suggestions of the farmers.