Farmers leaders have held several rounds of talks with the government but all of them remained inconclusive so far. After the fifth round of talks, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has called another meeting on December 9.
Thousands of farmers are sticking to their first and major point - that the three "anti-farmer" laws passed in September during Monsoon Session of Parliament be repealed. However, the government says these laws are in the interest of farmers to make them richer.
The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 are the main issue behind farmers' protest.
The government's offer to amend these laws have been rejected by over 40 farmer union leaders who have been talking to the government on behalf of thousands of farmers sitting on five different borders with a set of five major demands since November 26.
Union Minister Smriti Irani reiterated the ruling BJP's commitment towards the minimum support price (MSP) and claimed that the opposition parties have been spreading rumours about the MSP and APMC.
"When the Bill was tabled before the Parliament, the opposition tried to spread rumour about the MSP and APMC. They claimed that the government will close the APMC markets. Nothing of that sort happened. The Government of India did not even touch the APMC law," Irani said.
"The government had assured that it will continue procurement at MSP. As a result, till December 5, the government procured 336 lakh metric tonne rice from 33 lakh farmers. As many as 60 per cent of the farmers who benefited from this are from Punjab," she added.
Irani further said that the opposition parties do not want reforms in the agricultural sector or the welfare of the farmers. "The fact that 33 lakh farmers participated in MSP operations after the Bill was passed is a sign that they trust the government," she said.
"When their (UPA-II) government was in power from 2009 to 2014, they only did MSP operations worth Rs 3 lakh crore. However, in the last six years, the (Narendra) Modi government has done MSP operations worth Rs 8 lakh crore," Irani said, adding that the opposition is infuriated because the money is now directly going into the bank accounts of the farmers.
Irani also criticised Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal saying that despite accepting the recently enacted farm Acts, against which the farmers were protesting, he was supporting the strike. "He notified a gazette. A gazette is notified when the government accepts a law administratively and politically. So, he has given his acceptance already," she said.
About Congress leader Rahul Gandhi targeting the government over the farmers' protest, Irani said his brother-in-law, Robert Vadra, has "looted" the farmers' land. "Why was he missing from debates in the Parliament on these Bills? Why did he say that APMC should be changed," she added.
The farmers, who have been protesting at the borders of the national capital for 13 days against the farm laws, have called for a Bharat bandh today.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar today urged farmers to avoid the "propaganda" being spread. He assured them that "the MSP and mandis will also continue".
"New agricultural reform laws will bring prosperity in the lives of farmers. Investment in cold store and food processing industry in the country will increase and farmers will be able to have sufficient storage," Tomar said in a series of tweets.
The Minister further said the "Minimum Support Price (MSP) and mandis will also continue and farmers will be able to sell their crops anywhere they wish".
The Niti Aayog CEO stressed that the next wave of reforms must come from states.
"If 10-12 states will grow at higher rates, then there is no reason why Indian won't grow at higher rates. We have asked union territories to privatise discoms. Discoms must become far more competitive and provide cheap power," he said.
Replying to a question on protests by farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, against the Centre's new farm laws, Kant said the agriculture sector needs reforms.
"It is very important to understand this that MSPs (minimum support price) will be there, mandis will remain...farmers must have a choice to sell their products as they benefit out of this," he noted.
On Tuesday, the Agriculture Minister once again made the government's stand on the MSP clear.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar urged farmers to avoid the "propaganda" being spread. He assured them that "the MSP and mandis will also continue".
Ahead of the sixth round of talks scheduled on Wednesday, and amid ongoing 'Bharat Bandh' protests across the country on farmers' call, Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy today declared that the Narendra Modi government is ready for "MSP and Mandi Act (APMC Act)".
The Minister said that the central government's first priority is Minimum Support Price (MSP) and that it will also focus on Mandis in coming days.
Reddy ensured that the government doesn't follow two different opinions on the issue and is committed for the welfare of the farmers who have been protesting on Delhi borders for over 13 days.
"We are ready for MSP and Mandi Act. These two points are our government's priority. Our government's first priority is MSP. We will also run Mandis in the coming days. There are no two opinions on these issues," Reddy said while talking to IANS at Krishi Bhawan.
MSP is a form of market intervention by the government to insure agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices. MSP is price fixed by government to protect the producer or farmer against excessive fall in price during bumper production years.
There is the fear that MSP will not be enforced once private mandis come up. Thus, the farmers seeking amendment of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act or Mandi Act.
The minister spoke after his brief meeting with Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar amid ongoing nationwide shutdown called by farmers.
The Minister also urged all the farmers to shun the path of protest and resolve their issues by talking to the government assuring that Modi government will give priority on MSP and Mandi Act issues.
On house arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Reddy said "lakhs of people are moving in Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal is among them. There is no need to arrest him. We don't want to arrest him".
The Minister said the government has no problem with protest as it is people's right to raise their voices but warned that "there is no place for violence".
Referring that all opposition political parties speaking have been against the central government and are participating in the "Bharat Bandh" called by the farmers, Reddy urged the farmers that they should discuss their issues with the government as it is ready to talk over the three farm laws which inconvenience them.
Meanwhile, the Minister urged to avoid the "propaganda of political parties".
Hitting out at main opposition Congress, Reddy said: "What did you do in last 70 years? Why thousands of farmers committed suicide? We introduced the farm bills on the basis of demands and questions raised by farmers and farmer unions."
"Neither Rahul Gandhi can understand farmers problem nor he can speak on these matters. So, there is no need of his attention over the matter."
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar told the media: "Supporting the Bharat Bandh called in the name of farmers is nothing but hypocrisy by political parties. They are the ones who brought in a law to abolish the APMC and implemented contract farming in several states ruled by them. Now their hypocrisy has been exposed."
He further said, "I want to reiterate that the minimum support price (MSP) which the farmers get at present will continue. The manner in which farmers have been getting the benefit of MSP for the last 55 years will also continue. The prosperity of the farmers of the country is our government's objective."
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has pointed out the confusion being spread by disruptive and anarchist forces that are fuelling the farmers' agitation. He has asked farmers to be wary of such forces. "The new agricultural reform laws will bring prosperity to the lives of farmers. They must avoid the propaganda being spread by disruptive and anarchist forces. MSP will continue and so will the mandis and farmers will be able to sell their crops anywhere they want at their own discretion."
