Even after reaching to an agreement to exclude farmers from criminal stubble burning laws under the Capital Air Pollution Ordinance, the Centre does not intend to take steps until all other problems with the protesting classes of farmers have also been resolved.
Even after reaching to an agreement to exclude farmers from criminal stubble burning laws under the Capital Air Pollution Ordinance, the Centre does not intend to take steps until all other problems with the protesting classes of farmers have also been resolved. When asked regarding the timeframe for amending the law, officials of the Agriculture Ministry noted that during Wednesday's talks with protesting farmer leaders, only a "in principle" understanding was achieved.
'The negotiations are already going on, the timetable, etcetera, will come up for debate until it is finalized. It was an in-principle judgment that the government approved two of their requests,' a senior official from the Agriculture Ministry. 'As per the final deal, the modalities and timetable will be done. If it's all finalized, only then can we do it' he added.
Minor complications
Farmer leaders said government action on the negotiations that had already concluded would further increase trust for the talks ahead. They also stated that these are minor problems compared to the unresolved requests to overturn three controversial farm reform laws and provide MSP with a legal promise.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella front representing all the protesting parties, said that no meaningful answers to the key issues had been reached. ‘However, securing the removal of two ordinances is a significant accomplishment because this decision safeguards the country's federal system and avoids privatization,' it said in a Thursday statement. In addition to the decriminalization of stubble burning, in a proposed Energy Bill, a consensus was also reached on reforms to safeguard power subsidies.
Sunday response
On Saturday, Morcha would hold an internal meeting to discuss a response to the government's call for "alternatives to repeal," but most farm leaders maintained that no alternatives were on the table. ‘All of us agree that we want a complete repeal,’ Mr. Singh said. They will give the Centre a written reply on Sunday, ahead of Monday's next round of talks.
Earlier in the day, about 100 young farmers crashed through police barricades on 25 tractor trolleys at the Rajasthan-Haryana border at Shahjahanpur. Using water cannons and tear gas, the Haryana police objected to them, and stopped them further down the Jaipur-Delhi highway at Rewari. Both the representatives of the India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee say they have appealed to young people not to smash the barricades, but to oppose the police action as well.
