Govt itself is misguided about farm laws: Farmer leader

Till now, the government was calling the farmers who were against the new agricultural law misguided, but now a farmer leader has said that the government itself is misguided about the agricultural reforms.

Farmer leader Joginder Singh said that the government wants to change the fate of the farmers by implementing the model of agrarian reform which has failed in other countries.

Joginder Singh is the President of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan), an organisation of Punjab. He said that the government itself is misguided about agrarian reform because this model has failed in America.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had accused the opposition of misleading the farmers and said that when (then Prime Minister) Narasimha Rao started economic reforms in 1991, it took four-five years for positive results to come. He said that if we cannot wait four-five years to see the good results of the agricultural reforms implemented by the Narendra Modi government, then we can wait at least for two years.

To a question asked on the Defence Minister's statement, Joginder Singh said that the Mandi law was abolished in Bihar in 2006 itself and today everyone knows the condition of the farmers of Bihar. He said, therefore, there is no need to wait much to see the results of the new law, rather we already have examples.

The protest of farmers on the borders of Delhi against the new agricultural laws implemented by the central government continues on the 33rd day on Monday. Leaders of agitating farmer organisations are demanding repeal of the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Price Assurance and Agricultural Services Agreement Act 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020.

These were introduced in September after the passage of three Agri Bills introduced in the Monsoon Session of Parliament in both Houses. However, earlier through an ordinance, these laws came into force from June 5.

The next round of talks is proposed on December 29 to resolve the deadlock between the government and farmer organisations regarding these three laws. This is the first among the four issues in the agenda for this dialogue by the farmers organisations, which has been sent to the government.

In addition, they want to negotiate with the government on the procedure and provisions to provide a legal guarantee for procurement on a profitable MSP suggested by the National Farmers Commission. The other two issues proposed for the next round of negotiations include the Commission Ordinance for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas, amendments in 2020 that are necessary to exclude farmers from the penal provisions of the ordinance and changes in the draft of the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020.