Farmers’ organizations are protesting on the borders of Delhi today on the 50th day. Farmers are demanding cancellation of agricultural laws. Meanwhile, the situation has become clear about the 9th round meeting between the farmers and the government. Tomorrow there will be a meeting between the farmers and the government.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said today that the government is ready to hold talks with farmer leaders on January 15 with an open mind. He said that in the ninth round of talks with farmers’ organizations on Friday, a positive discussion is expected.
To end the farmer’s movement, it was decided in the eighth round meeting between the government and farmers on January 8 that the next round of talks would be held on January 15.
After this, on January 12, the Supreme Court ruled on the farmers’ movement and agricultural laws. In this decision, the court imposed a stayed order on the three new agricultural laws. Also, a committee of four members was formed to end the deadlock.
The apex court for the committee had announced the names of Bhupinder Singh Mann along with the chairman of Shetkari Sanghatna, Anil Ghanvat, Director of South Asia’s International Food Policy and Research Institute, Dr Pramod Joshi and agricultural economist Ashok Gulati.
After this decision, there was confusion about the meeting. Farmers’ organizations have expressed objection to the members of the Supreme Court committee. Farmer leaders say that all these members are advocates of new agricultural laws, in which case justice cannot be expected from them.
Meanwhile, today, a member of the committee, the President of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, Bhupinder Singh Mann, distanced himself from the committee. Mann said that he is grateful to the apex court for appointing him as a member of the committee, but he will abdicate any position presented to him for not compromising the interests of the farmers.
He said in a statement, “Being a farmer myself and a leader of the union, I am ready to leave any post due to the feelings and apprehensions of the farmer’s associations and common people so that any interest from the farmers of Punjab and the country will not have to compromise of sorts.
