Farmers announce more protests, no to govt offer

The farmer unions on Wednesday rejected the proposal sent by the Centre to end the impasse over farm laws. The farmers protesting near national capital Delhi said that they will block the Delhi-Jaipur and Delhi-Agra national highways by December 12 and hold protest demonstrations in many parts of the country on December 14. In a press conference, farmer leaders announced a 'Delhi gherao' plan. Farmers' leader Darshan Pal said no tax to be paid on that day at any toll plaza in country.“We will block all roads in Delhi one by one if the three farm laws are not scrapped,” the farmer leaders present at the Singhu border near Delhi said. They also said that no decision has been taken on next round of talks with central government.

In the proposal sent earlier to 13 agitating farmer unions, the Centre promised a written assurance for minimum support prices, allowing farmers to go to court to resolve disputes instead of a sub-divisional magistrate and scrapping of the Electricity Amendment bill, which they opposed. The government also offered to make amendments in the laws to address the concerns of farmers in various areas. To allay fears that big corporates will take over farmlands, the government said it can be clarified that no buyer can take loans against farmland nor any such condition will be made to farmers. Amendments can also be made so that state governments can register the traders operating outside mandis. States can also impose tax and cess as they used in the APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) mandis on them.

The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) released a statement on government's proposal on Wednesday and termed them "old proposals dressed up as new". "Modi govt insincere & arrogant about resolving farmers demands; all farmers bodies rightly reject old proposals dressed up as new. AIKSCC and all farmer organisations reiterate their demand to repeal 3 farm acts and EB 2020 . Protest to continue, more farmers to join in, in Delhi.