The deadlock remains even after the eleventh meeting between the Centre and farmers’ union over the three contentious farm laws. The farmer unions told the government that they want a complete repeal of the farm bill and not a temporary stall. Even when the Centre asked them to reconsider their proposal, the unions remain firm in their decision.
After attending the meeting, farmer leader Darshan Pal said that they told the government that they want to repeal the law, but the minister has asked them to reconsider their proposal and convey their decision.
On Thursday, the farmer unions rejected the Centre’s proposal to keep the law on hold for 12-18 months and the union reiterated their stand for complete withdrawal. Earlier, Agricultural Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had said that he believed that the meetings were moving in a “meaningful direction” and “we expect to draw a solution on January 22”.
On Republic Day, the farmers are gearing up for their tractor march to rally on a 16-17 km stretch of Delhi’s Outer Ring Road. Meanwhile, NCP President Sharad Pawar reportedly said that he would be participating in a protest planned in Mumbai in solidarity with the agitating farmers.
