New Delhi: The protesting farmers’ unions Thursday rejected the central government’s proposal to suspend the three contentious agriculture laws for 18 months and set up a joint committee to address grievances.
In a full general body meeting of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of 40 protesting farmer unions, the members reiterated a full repeal of the three laws and enacting legislation for remunerative MSP as the pending demands of the peasants’ movement.
On Wednesday, when the Centre put forward the offer during their talks with the farmers, the farm leaders said they would decide upon it only after holding internal consultations. The next round of meeting has been scheduled for January 22.
The three laws have already been stayed by the Supreme Court till further orders and a committee of experts has been formed to resolve the deadlock. The committee has been asked by the apex court to submit its report within two months after consulting all stakeholders.
The farmers have been protesting at various border points of Delhi against the farm laws for nearly two months now and are scheduled to hold a tractor march on January 26. However, there has been no headway in the talks between the police and the unions over it as the farmers stuck to their demand of holding the march on Delhi’s busy Outer Ring Road.
— Agencies

KR Desk