As thousands of farmers continue to protest against the three new farm laws, a delegation of 20 from Haryana on Monday met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to extend their support for the new legislations. The group led by Padmashree awardee Kamal Singh Chavan demanded the government may amend some provisions but it should not repeal them, news agency PTI reported.
The delegation members said they were individual farmers and representatives of farmer producer organisations (FPOs). The delegation included Bharatiya Kisan Union (Attar) National President Attar Singh Sandhu.
The meeting between Tomar and farmers took place a day before a Bharat Bandh called by protesting farmers' organisations. A meeting between the protesting farmers and the Centre is already scheduled for December 9 even no breakthrough has been possible in the five rounds so far.
"Farmers who are protesting are misguided. PM has assured that MSP and mandi system will remain," Kanwal Singh Chauhan told news agency ANI after meeting Tomar.
Protesting farmers have stuck to their demand for the repeal of the laws despite the Centre's assurance to look into specific issues without abolishing the laws. While the farm laws have been presented by the government as major reforms in the agriculture sector, farmers say that the reforms are against the interest of the sector. Farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws will pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of MSP and scrap the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.
The Centre has maintained the MSP and mandi systems would continue and would be rather further improved and strengthened.
Meanwhile, farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, continued at the Singhu and Tikri borders. Protestors have also swelled at the Ghazipur border. The opposition parties too are supporting the protest. They have stepped up the pressure, asking the Centre to "respect the democratic struggle" of the farmers and repeal the laws.
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