Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Dec 7: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of the farmers’ unions spearheading the agitation against the three contentious farm laws since repealed, will take a final call on the shape of the agitation on Wednesday in view of the central government showing readiness to accept almost all the demands of the agitating farmers.
The SKM has received a letter from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs accepting most of their pending demands. The Centre’s offer was discussed during the SKM leadership’s meeting at the Singhu border on Tuesday. The meeting, however, remained inconclusive even as the SKM leaders expressed their satisfaction over the initiative of the central government to resolve the standoff. Some of the leaders wanted more clarity on the issues raised by them before the farmers squatting on Delhi’s borders returned home.
According to the SKM, the central government has agreed to accept most of the demands but they will wait for its response on some issues, including MSP and withdrawal of cases against the protesters, before holding its meeting at 2 pm on Wednesday.
After the announcement of repealing three contentious farm laws, the SKM had written to the prime minister Narendra Modi on November 21 demanding clarifications on six issues.
The issues included: Legal guarantee of MSP for all produces based on a formula, withdrawal of draft Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020/2021; removal of the penal provisions on farmers in the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act 2021; withdrawal of false cases registered against the farmers over the course of the ongoing movement; dismissal and arrest of Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra Teni in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, compensation and rehabilitation to the families of the farmers who died during the farm movement; and allocation of land for a memorial to them at Singhu.
According to the SKM, the central government has informed the farmer leaders that “the Haryana and UP governments have agreed to withdraw all the cases lodged against the farmers during the ongoing farmer stir.” A source in the SKM said: “The central government has urged other BJP-ruled states too to withdraw the cases. . The government has also assured to resolve the matter related to the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020 by holding talks with the stakeholder states. On the issue related to the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act 2021, the government has agreed that the penal provisions won’t be applicable to the farmers for stubble burning.” The central government has already offered to form a committee on the issue of MSP in which the representatives of SKM will also be included.
A few sticking points remain, and the SKM’s five-member committee has been asked to iron out these details with the Government by Wednesday afternoon. The SKM will meet again at 2:00 p.m., at which time a final decision on whether to withdraw the agitation will be announced.
Several leaders sounded confident that the agitation will end at that time, as their major demands have been accepted. However, others objected to the Centre’s condition that cases against protesting farmers will be withdrawn only after the agitation is called off. There is also a lack of clarity on the mandate of the Government’s proposed committee on MSP, and whether it will be empowered to discuss a legal guarantee. The letter specifically mentions that SKM leaders will be part of the committee, but there are fears that others opposing MSP may also be included, sources said.
The Centre’s failure to dismiss Minister of State for Home Amit Mishra Teni is also another bone of contention. The in-principle assurance that States will provide compensation to the kin of protesting farmers who died during the agitation was welcomed as a positive move.
Sources said the centre was open to giving farmers written assurances on demands that include a legal guarantee for MSP and the dropping of all police cases against them, including those on stubble burning. Sources said the centre, as part of its offer, would form a committee to decide the MSP issue. The committee will consist of government officials, agriculture experts and representatives from the SKM.
Sources also said the centre had agreed to drop all police cases against farmers – this includes stubble burning complaints and those filed by Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in connection with violent clashes with security forces over the past several months. Should the farmers, as is widely expected, accept the centre’s offer, it will mean the end of a mass movement that made headlines in India and around the world for the mobilisation of tens of thousands of farmers, violent clashes with police, and furious rows in Parliament.
It is understood that while the farmers are happy with the centre’s offer, there is one sticking point – the centre wants the farmers to stand down before police cases are dropped. The question of compensation – a point raised by Rahul Gandhi when he accused the centre of lying – was also discussed. The farmers referred to the ₹ 5 lakh offered by Punjab, to which the centre said UP and Haryana had, in principle, agreed to similar measures.
Last week farmers said Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to them (via a phone call) to discuss outstanding issues; this was after their protests forced the recall of the farm laws. The farmers constituted a five-member panel to hold talks – talks that were to include their demand to legalise MSP and withdraw police cases against the protesters. The centre was given a ‘deadline’, which expired today.