NEW DELHI, Dec 9:
Farmer leaders today rejected a Government offer of amendments in the new agri laws and a “written assurance” on continuing the MSP system, saying there was nothing new in it, and vowed to intensify their agitation by blocking key highways linking Delhi and a nationwide protest on December 14.
The sixth round of talks between the Centre and the agitating farmer unions slated today was cancelled, but the two sides maintained they were open to dialogue.
The Opposition, which has been supporting the farmers’ stir and had backed Tuesday’s ‘Bharat bandh’, approached President Ram Nath Kovind.
A five-member delegation including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram met the President seeking repeal of the farm laws against which thousands of farmers have been protesting on the borders of the national capital for the last 13 days.
The Shiromani Akali Dal alleged that the Centre packaged “old wine in a new bottle” and said the farmers have rightly rejected the proposal.
After Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s meeting with farmer leaders last night, the Government sent the proposal offering to make necessary amendments on at least seven issues, including one to allay fears about the weakening of the mandi system.
The Government said an amendment can be made wherein State Governments can register the traders operating outside mandis. States can also impose tax and cess as they used in APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) mandis on them.
On apprehensions about the scrapping of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime and shifting of trade to private players, the government said it is ready to give a written assurance that the existing MSP will continue.
Addressing a press conference, farmer leader Shiv Kumar Kakka said there was nothing new in the Government’s proposal, and that it was “completely rejected” by the ‘Sanyukta Kisan Committee’ in its meeting today. (PTI)
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