Today was the day of the sixth round of talks between farmers and the central government planned to be held at the Vigyan Bhavan. While the farmers are getting support from all quarters of the society, the GOI is increasingly getting on a back foot. In parallel developments regarding the farmers’ protests, the operations of Jio and Reliance retail malls across the country have taken a huge hit as the power supply to many (around 1300-1500) towers (of Jio) have been cut by the farmers. This is in retaliation against the farm-laws. The farmers and many observers believe that the farm-laws with numerous loopholes have been designed and passed in the middle of the pandemic in a parliament which had no question hour to benefit only the Ambani and Adani groups that have significant operations in Agro-business and are known to be close to modi-shah. Some other important updates on today’s farmers-government meeting have been listed here.

Next round of talks between farmers and GOI planned for January 04, 2021

In the sixth round of talks held today, the government has offered to withdraw the electricity amendment bill and to remove the penal provisions on farmers in cases of stubble burning.  The unions have also stated that the provision of irrigation subsidies paid through the states be continued. The government has also asked the farmers to send the elderly, the women, and the children back home. No final conclusion could be attained in today’s talks, and the next round of talks is scheduled for January 04, 2021. 

Farmers determined to continue the movement-Centre offers to set up a committee to discuss farmers’ issues

Today, the leaders of the farmers’ unions are attending a meeting with the Centre, demanding the scrapping of the new farm-laws. In the counter-offer, the government has avoided talks of scrapping the laws but has said that it can set up a committee to discuss the farmers’ issues. This clearly shows that the GOI is evading and delaying the issue as far as possible. On the other hand, the farmer leaders at the outset of today’s round of talks had said that today’s talks would be decisive nevertheless next round of talks is scheduled for the first week of January (Jan 04, 2021).

Akhilesh Yadav claims that ground-level BJP workers want withdrawal of farm-laws

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday claimed that the ruling BJP’s ground-level workers also want the withdrawal of three new farm laws as they feel that they will not be able to face the people.

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, are protesting at various borders of the national capital for more than a month against the three new laws. In this regard, in a tweet in Hindi, the SP chief has said, that the BJP government should not ‘cheat’ farmers of the entire country for the benefit of a few rich friends and in today’s talks, should withdraw the agriculture laws. The truth is that the ground-level worker of the BJP also wants the same because he is not able to garner the courage to go among the general people. The political leadership of India has never been so barren.

In the meeting, Ministers join union leaders to share langar food

Three union ministers joined farmer-union leaders on Wednesday to share ‘langar’ food arranged by protesting farmers during their sixth round of talks to resolve the deadlock over new farm laws.

The ‘langar’ (community kitchen) food had arrived in a van at the meeting venue, Vigyan Bhawan, after around two hours of discussions had taken place and the two sides took a break for tea and snacks. Sources present at the venue said that Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Food and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash joined the farmer-leaders to share their langar food during the break.

Farmer leaders said that the talks (sixth round) were continuing and that they were going ‘agenda wise’.

During the last few meetings, as a sign of protest, farmer leaders have been arranging their own lunch, snacks, and beverages while refusing to have the food organized by the government. At one such meeting, farmer-leaders had even invited the ministers to langar at their protest site on Singhu border.