A consortium of farmers’ on Wednesday set a week’s deadline for the Punjab Government to convene a special Vidhan Sabha session to repeal the Centre’s new agriculture laws, while rejecting the Centre’s invite to hold talks to resolve the issue.
Making clear their intent to further intensify their ongoing stir, Punjab’s farmers also decided to continue and intensify their agitation in the next seven days.
The decisions were taken on Wednesday by as many as 30 farmer unions of Punjab during its hours-long meeting under the banner of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC).
Accusing the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh of dilly-dallying in convening the Vidhan Sabha’s special session, the farmers declared that they would hold protests outside the houses of the state Congress leaders unless the Government calls a special Assembly session to repeal the contentious laws while setting October 15 as deadline.
AIKSCC members told The Pioneer that besides intensifying the protest, the Committee would further streamline the coordination between various Punjabi singers and artistes who have joined the farmers’ stir to make it more effective.
The farmers’ conglomeration declared that without any letting up, it would continue it rail roko agitation, free movements at toll plazas, gherao of BJP leaders, dharnas against Reliance at their petrol pumps or stores, bandh calls, for an indefinite period.
At the same time, the farm unions have barred the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU), Lakhowal, from participating in the joint protest after they approached the Supreme Court of India against the contenting Agriculture Laws, “without taking others into confidence”.
The other farmers’ unions decided that the Lakhowal faction would be brought under the joint fold only after they formally withdraw the case from the Apex Court.
BKU (Dakaunda) president Buta Singh Burjgill said that the farmers would continue with their ongoing agitation, as the Centre seemed in no mood to withdraw the laws.
Rejecting the Union Agriculture Department’s invite for a meeting for October 8, the farmers’ union stated that they do not want an officer to tell them if the new laws are beneficial for them or not. However, the agitating farmers have made it clear that they will be ready for talks only if a proper invitation from the Central Government comes across.
“The invitation by the Centre’s Agriculture secretary Sanjay Agarwal is clearly not to initiate a dialogue, but has been sent merely to explain to the agitating farmers how the laws were beneficial. Until the government initiates dialogue on revocation of the laws, we will not stop our agitation,” declared Burjgill.
Notably, a secretary-rank officer from the Union Agriculture Department had called for five or six farmers’ leaders to join a “conference to address their concerns” on October 8 in Delhi.
DESPITE CAPT’s APPEAL, FARMERS TO CONTINUE RAIL ROKO
Notwithstanding Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s appeal to the farmers to relax their ‘rail roko’ agitation so that goods’ trains could pass through, the farmer organizations have declared that they will continue the same. “The farmers have no choice but to continue the Rail Roko campaign and protest outside houses of BJP leaders,” a farmers’ representative. At the same time, the farmers’ organizations rubbished the Chief Minister’s contention that stopping the trains would delay arrival of much-needed urea for the next crop, or the transfer of foodgrains from Punjab to recipient states to make space for the arriving paddy. “Farmers get fertilizers during lockdown, its supply continued at that time when all trains were halted, then why not now. It can reach here now as well…The government indulges in spreading such things to weaken our protest,” said a representative of farm organizations.
BKU RAJEWAL ANNOUNCES TWO-HOUR BANDH ON OCT 9
BKU Rajewal has announced to observe a two hours bandh on October 9 (Friday) to express solidarity with the Haryana farmers who were lathicharged at Sirsa in Haryana. “We will go in for a two-hour complete bandh in Punjab on October 9, between 4-6 pm, in solidarity with the Haryana farmers,” said BKU Rajewal president Balbir Singh Rajewal. The farmers organizations from Punjab have condemned the brutal lathi-charge on the protesting farmers in Haryana’s Sirsa on Tuesday, and announced their unconditional support to them.
CAPT SAYS ULTIMATUMS NOT THE WAY, ASKS UNIONS TO RECONSIDER
Rejecting the Kisan Unions’ one-week ultimatum for holding a special Assembly session to negate the farm laws, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday maintained that he would be calling a special session to bring in necessary amendment Bills, but “ultimatums is not the way to force the Government into taking hasty steps. I will do what I feel is necessary in the interest of the farmers,” said the Chief Minister.
“My sole interest lies in protecting the state’s farmers and the farm sector at all costs, and not in appeasing the farmer organizations,” the Chief Minister said, adding that he will take whatever decisions needed in the best interest of the farming community.
The Unions’ threat to gherao his residence or the houses of the state ministers and Congress leaders would not force him into taking any decision which may eventually turn out to be detrimental to the interests of the farmers, said Capt Amarinder, making it clear that he would not compromise the farmers’ interests under pressure or threats from the Unions. He pointed out that he had taken suggestions of all these Unions a few days back on the way forward on the farm bills, and would ensure that nothing is allowed to obstruct his government’s efforts to save the livelihood of the farmers and secure the future of their children. On the decision of the Kisan Unions not to heed his appeal to allow goods trains to pass amid their ‘Rail Roko’ protests, the Chief Minister said that it was regrettable, since by not relaxing their agitation, these organizations were damaging the interests of the farmers as well as the State.
“The State Govt needs to urgently transport foodgrain, coal, fertilizer and petroleum on priority, besides lifting paddy grain from the mandis, for which the RBI had already authorized the first tranche of the around Rs 30,220 crore against credit limit till October end,” he pointed, urging the Unions not to endanger the farmers’ interest by their decision. The CM said that if the current stocks of wheat and rice were not lifted from the godowns, there would be no storage capacity left for the next harvest. Further, he noted that the state’s coal stocks were critical, and if not replenished soon there would be severe power shortages, which would hamper the wheat sowing operations.