New Delhi: Though majority of the farmers are in favour of calling off the stir, some leaders wanted clarifications and amendments on some points in the proposal made by the Union Home Ministry, farmers said on Tuesday.
After getting a written assurance from the central government on Tuesday afternoon, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of over 40 farm unions, has sought clarification on certain points in the proposal sent by the Union Home Ministry.
SKM, which has been spearheading the agitation, indicated that they are ready to call off their protest if these demands are met and said they will meet again at 2pm on Wednesday to decide the future course of action.
The SKM had formed a five-member panel to hold talks with the government on the pending demands of the protesting farmers. The five-member panel has farmer leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal, Ashok Dhawle, Shiv Kumar Kakka, Gurnam Singh Chaduni and Yudhvir Singh.
Addressing the media after a five-hour-long meeting on Tuesday, the five-member panel of SKM expressed their happiness over the government finally sending them a formal proposal. "Nearly all demands raised by us have been met.... Letter (from government with assurances on farmers' demands) has been received. It was discussed and presented before all members. We need clarification on certain points in the proposal. The final decision will be announced tomorrow," they said.
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Committee on MSP
In its proposal sent to the farmers, the government said that it will form a committee to look into the demand for a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP). SKM is okay with the format of the committee proposed by the union government which would include experts, officials, and representatives from farmer unions. But it does not want those farmer unions or leaders who earlier supported farm laws and said "MSP guarantee is technically not possible", in the committee. "Only those farmer leaders who are part of SKM should be part of the committee as they have been sitting at the borders for more than a year with this demand."
Farmers oppose preconditions set for withdrawal of cases
The government has agreed to the demand of farmers' organisations to take back cases lodged against farmers. The process will start once the farmers end their protest and go back to their homes, the government has said. However, SKM leaders are not okay with this precondition set for withdrawal of cases against farmers. They want the process to be initiated at the earliest so that farmers do not have to live with the baggage of cases lodged against them. "We are against the condition set by the government that farm unions should lift the protest for the withdrawal of fake cases against farmers," the farmer leaders said.
Shiv Kumar Kakka, a farmer leader who hails from Madhya Pradesh recalled the Mandsaur incident wherein six farmers were killed in police firing and said that cases are continuing despite government assurance. "The state government announced one crore rupees as compensation and it was said in the Vidhan Sabha that cases against farmers will be quashed but even after five years, farmers who participated in the protest are getting summons as the government did not fulfill its promise of taking back the cases," he said.
On compensation for deceased farmers
As mentioned in the written proposal by the Central government, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments have theoretically agreed to compensate the deceased farmers and the Punjab government has even announced cash compensation and job to one family member of deceased farmers. The SKM has demanded that UP and Haryana should also follow the Punjab model and announce the same for those who died during the year-long protest.
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