The ongoing standoff between the Central Government and the farmers, it seems, may soon head towards some resolution with a Punjab BJP leader on Monday claiming that the Centre would soon “invite” the farmers for talks with the Union Ministers — a claim which has been enthusiastically welcomed by the state’s farmers.Punjab’s former Minister and senior leader Surjit Kumar Jyani — who had led a three-member party delegation to meet the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Sunday to press upon them to hold open talks with the agitating farmers — on Monday claimed that the Central Minister will soon hold talks with the farmers.
“The Centre’s attitude towards the farmers protest seems to have changed and softened after our meeting on Sunday. The Central Government has decided to meet the Punjab farmers,” he said.Jyani, who was accompanied by two BJP functionaries from Punjab — Harjit Singh Grewal and Bikramjit Singh Cheema, had maintained that the Union Ministers had shown interest in solving the impasse and were ready to hold talks with the farmer leaders. He even made Rajnath Singh to spoke to a senior farm leader at length. He maintained that all the 31 farm organizations from the State would be invited for talks.Party sources maintained that the Centre would soon be sending a formal invite to the farmers, possibly for November 13, for the meeting in which three Union Ministers — Rajnath, Tomar, and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal — are expected to participate. The meeting, as per sources, would be held at Rajnath Singh’s residence.It may be mentioned here that Jyani was the only senior BJP leader from Punjab — which has emerged as an epicenter of farmers; protest against the Central new laws — who has openly lashed out at his own party’s Government at the Centre for not listening to the farmers. It was only after his this outburst that he was called for a meeting.
Jyani, on November 5, had taken on the Centre, blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP national president JP Nadda, saying that they were not paying heed to the issues of farmers and insulting them.
Notably, the farmers have been agitating against the Centre’s three new farm laws — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. The three laws were enacted recently after the President Ram Nath Kovind gave consent to them.
FARMERS WELCOMED THE MOVE, TO MEET ON NOV 11
Welcoming the news of Centre ready to hold talks with the farmers, Punjab’s farmers’ outfits will hold its meeting on November 11 (Wed) to decide on the future course of action. At the same time, the farmers’ leaders have urged the Central Government to take an initiative and make the atmosphere conducive for holding talks by allowing movement of goods trains in Punjab.
The farmers have also made it clear to the Centre that it would join talks only if a “formal invitation” will be sent to them, along with the agenda for the meeting, and the names of the Ministers or officers — who will be attending the meeting and are authorized to take decision — be informed to them beforehand.
“We just want it to bring in the notice of the Central Government that they should start the goods trains before holding talks to give it a good start and ensure that talks be held in a conducive atmosphere. Passenger trains can be started later on after holding talks with us,” said Buta Singh of Bharti Kisan Union (BKU), Dakonda.
He added that the Government should also “give us written agenda, written invite, and who will be present in the meeting…We are ready to hold talks”.
BKU Lakhowal’s president Harinder Singh Lakhowal, welcoming the move, said that all the farmers’ organizations will be holding its meeting on November 11.
“Punjab has suffered so much…the industry is getting affected. They should start goods trains before holding talks to just send across the message that it is open to listen to us, just to honour our struggle. Why we are affecting Punjab and its people,” he said, adding that we could talk on resumption of other trains.
Lakhowal said that during the months long protests, “we have never hurt anyone. We are, till date, holding peaceful agitation…We are fighting for ourselves”.
At the same, he made it clear that the farmers knew everything and the Centre should not hold meeting to make us understand anything. “Farmers knew everything. Last time too, they asked to meet an officer who says he has no power to take decision. Discuss our issues with us…We are ready to hold talks,” he added.
The farmers’ organizations have already asserted that they would hold talks not only on the three agriculture Acts, but also on the ordinance on pollution, electricity amendment Bill and no interest waiver on farm loans.
Punjab’s 30 farmer outfits, listing the conditions, stated that the farmers would be ready to talk only if they will be “formally invited” for the meeting. Besides, the farm outfits have maintained that the Centre should clearly disclose the name of the person who will represent it, be it the Minister or any officer, and only such a person should be send for the meeting who is authorized to take decisions.