It seems to be the beginning of the end of the 15-month-long farmer’s agitation as the Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Tuesday. This indicates that the Morcha will take a final call on the Union Home Ministry’s proposal to end farmer’s protest.
Senior leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said that they have received a positive proposal from the Union Home Ministry and they would consider ending its protest on Wednesday at 2 pm.
The farmers stated that they are ‘OK’ with the government’s written proposal barring a few clarifications and hope the government would agree to their certain demands sympathetically.
The sudden shift in farmers’ stand came after they received a written draft proposal from the Union Health Ministry agreeing to most of their demands and requesting the farmers to call off the agitation.
The SKM leaders had a marathon meeting at Singh Border at 2 pm and discussed all aspects of the proposals. The meeting, however, remained inconclusive and decided to take a final decision on Wednesday.
The SKM leaders claimed that the Centre has expressed its willingness to give a written assurance to accept most of their demands including dropping of all police cases against the farmers, including SKM leaders in the committee to decide on legal guarantee for MSP (Minimum Support Price).
They claimed that the Centre had offered to form a committee to decide on the MSP issue and the committee would consist of government officials, agriculture experts and representatives of the SKM.
The leaders also said that the Centre has agreed to give compensation to farmers who lost their lives during the agitation as offered by the Punjab Government. Union Home Ministry reportedly assured the farmers that UP and Haryana state governments have agreed in principle to offer compensation on the pattern of the Punjab government.
After the repeal of the contentious three farm laws, the SKM has been demanding a legal guarantee of MSP of all products, withdrawal of draft Electricity Amendment Bill, removal of penal provisions on farmers in the Commission for Air Quality Management in the NCR, withdrawal of false cases registered against farmers and compensation and rehabilitation to the families of the farmers who lost their lives during the agitation.