The ongoing farmers’ protests which have laid a siege over the national Capital entered its 15th day on Thursday, a day after the farmers rejected Centre’s new proposal of amendments to the three farm laws and announced a bigger movement. The stalemate is likely to continue as there is no further meeting scheduled between farmers and the Centre.

More protesters will be joining the agitating farmers. According to their plan, the Delhi-Jaipur highway will be blocked by December 12. On December 14, there will be a nationwide protest.

Over 30 unions of farmers are spearheading the protest and the rumours of a division started doing the rounds on the day some union leaders were called for a shadow meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah. It was decided that the meeting would take place at Shah’s residence and accordingly a few leaders reached his residence at the given time. But later the meeting was shifted to Indian Council of Agriculture Research. Two leaders reportedly had walked out of the meeting. It had led to doubts about fissures among the farmer-unions. But, the farmers have made it clear that there is no difference between the various unions like Samyukta kisan morcha and BKU-Ugrahan.

A farmer-union leader, Shiv Kumar Kakka said dismissing speculations of a rift, “We take decisions unanimously. It is about consensus and not about majority. It cannot be that some people are agreeing to it and others are not. If all unions say the laws should be scrapped, that is our decision. There is no question of having a personal opinion.”

Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Jagmohan Singh stating that farmer leaders are open to continuing the dialogue said, “We will come for the meeting if the government invites, but our demand should be met. It has become a mass movement. We cannot return to our villages with empty hands.”

The farmers may send a rejoinder to the Centre about a yes and no. They have planned to escalate the protests across the country with a large-scale boycott of products and services of Reliance industries, which along with Adanis has been strongly suspected to be the main corporates who would manipulate the agro-market for their own benefits.

The author is a student member of amity centre of happiness