The agitating farmers have decided to burn the copies of the farm laws on the occasion of Lohri as their agitation continued for the 49th day on Wednesday against the contentious farm laws enacted last year.
Harinder Singh, General Secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal), told IANS that on the occasion of Lohri on Wednesday farmers in Punjab, Haryana and other states of the country will burn copies of all three Union farm laws.
On being asked about the committee set up by the Supreme Court to resolve the farmers’ issue, he said that the farmers are demanding the repeal of the three laws so they have refused to appear before the committee adding that the Central government had also suggested a solution by forming a committee which was unanimously rejected by all the farmers’ organisations.
Pal Majra, Punjab farmer leader and BKU General Secretary, who was present at the Singhu border, told IANS that a meeting of farmers organisations is being held from 12 pm in which the complete schedule for burning copies of the three farm laws would be decided.
The farmers’ unions’ leaders are demanding the withdrawal of 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. They are also demanding a legal guarantee for the procurement of crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Following the Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha said in a statement on behalf of the farmer organisations that all the four members of the committee constituted by the top court are in favour of the farm laws.
Farmer leader Darshan Pal said in a statement, issued by the Morcha, that we are satisfied that the Supreme Court has recognized the right of the farmers to protest democratically and peacefully.
It added that the Samyukta Kisan Morcha welcomes the Supreme Court’s order on staying the implementation of all three ‘anti-farmer laws’ as the judgement validates their stand that all three laws are unconstitutional.
“But this adjournment order is temporary which can be reversed any time. Our protest is to repeal these three laws and not their postponement. So only on the basis of this stay order by the SC we (farmer unions) can’t change the various programmes announced by us,” said Darshan Pal.
“We respect the Supreme Court but we have not urged it for mediation in this matter and we have nothing to do with any committee. Whether this committee is meant to give technical opinion to the court or to mediate talks between the farmers and the Central government, the farmers have nothing to do with this committee.
“All the members of the four member committee that the apex court has declared have been advocates of the three Central farm laws and for the past several months have been unsuccessfully trying to create an atmosphere in favour of these laws,” Darshan Pal added.
The farmers have been sitting at the borders of the national capital since November 26, 2020. Singhu border is the main protest site where a special programme would be held to burn the copies of the farm laws.
(With IANS inputs)