As GOI gets cornered and tries to divert the attention from the main issues, the farmers are getting stronger and more determined in their stance, assertions and demand of repealing of the three farm laws. Some of the latest developments in the protests are listed and briefly touched here.

Bihar farmers set to join farmers’ protest in Delhi after BKU president (Haryana), Chaduni visits Patna

A visit to Patna by Haryana Bhartiya Kisan Union president Gurnam Singh Chaduni to meet farmer leaders seems to have further brought Bihar in sync with the ongoing protests. Chaduni visited Patna on Monday. With farmer leaders intensifying efforts to make the ongoing stir pan-India agitation against three farm laws, the farmer groups from Bihar have announced to move to Delhi from January 8. The farm-leaders shifted focus to Bihar after getting huge support from Punjab, Haryana, parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra & Tamil Nadu.

Soon after his visit, Bihar Kisan Manch president Dhirendra Singh Tuddu announced that farmers will hold a three-day protest in Patna from January 5 before moving to Delhi in trains. Explaining the reasons behind focus on Bihar, Chaduni said, “People of Bihar understand the entire matter. We want the agitation to spread in Bihar because the example of “Bihar model” is cited by BJP leaders in favour of new laws. That is why the association of Bihar farmers with this agitation has special importance. We are receiving a lot of phone calls from farmer leaders of Bihar and hope that the agitation will pick up in the state soon despite the fact that there are only small farmer organizations in Bihar.”

On GOI’s fresh letter Farmer unions ask to include repeal of new farm laws in agenda for fresh talks

Protesting farmer unions alleged on Thursday that the government’s latest letter for talks is nothing but a propaganda against the peasants and farmers to create an impression that they are not interested in dialogue and asked it to put the scrapping of the three recent farm laws in the agenda to resume the parley. Reacting to the fresh invitation, farmers on Thursday said that the MSP cannot be separated from the demand of repealing the contentious laws, asserting the issue of a legal guarantee for it is a key part of their agitation. In this regard, Centre has recently made a baseless proposition that it is not ‘logical’ to include MSP in talks.

Jannayak Janta Party leader Chautala said that changes need to be made in the agriculture laws and that written suggestions have been made to the Centre and the latter has also agreed to the same

As the farmers’ agitation against the three agriculture marketing laws continues for over three weeks, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Thursday said that dialogue between farmer unions and the government was imperative, adding that he was hopeful that talks will take place in the next few days and the stalemate will end.

“Union government is making efforts in this regard and the Supreme Court has also directed to hold talks so the leaders of 40 farmer unions who are leading these protests should participate in these talks,” Mr. Chautala said at a press conference. He further added, “Till today, no agitation has come to an end without discussions. I am hopeful that in next few days definitely there would be talks between the farmers and the Centre and it will lead to a positive outcome.”

The chief of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which is in a coalition with the BJP, said that the farmer unions should inform the government about the amendments they propose in the new agriculture laws and should have a detailed discussion on every single point. He said that with the Centre continuously inviting the unions for talks, the leaders heading the farmer outfits should realize their responsibility towards farmers and give their suggestions to the government so that a conclusion can be reached.

Ready to mediate

In reply to a question, Chautala said that changes need to be made in the agriculture laws and written suggestions have been made to the Centre and the latter has also agreed to the same. “The Centre is ready to include the guarantee of MSP in writing, to make amendments to Electricity Amendment Bill among other demands. If the Centre gives me the responsibility to mediate on those changes that are not being included, I am ready to do the needful,” he said.

New agri laws making farmers feel insecure: Pilot

Congress leader Sachin Pilot said on Thursday that the new farm laws are making the farmers insecure. The former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan said that the Congress is working hard to ensure that the organization and the state government fulfil the promises made to the people of the state. “The centre should stop being stubborn and withdraw the farm laws with immediate effect. The farmers are feeling insecure about their future. They are very concerned,” Pilot told reporters in Pali.

Congress MLAs to reach MP Assembly on tractors on Dec 28

Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs will arrive at the state Assembly in Bhopal on tractors on December 28 as a mark of protest against the Centre’s three new farm laws and rise in fuel prices, a party legislator said on Thursday. The three-day winter session of the state Assembly will begin from Monday. MP Congress president Kamal Nath has asked all the party MLAs in the state to reach the Congress office in Bhopal on December 28 morning.

Congress leader P Chidambaram stated in tweet that the government has effectively aborted talks

“By taking an inflexible position that the farm laws will not be repealed, the government has effectively aborted the talks before they can be resumed. Government should heed the suggestion of the Supreme Court and keep the farm laws in abeyance during the period of the talks,” tweeted senior Congress leader P Chidambaram.