What started as a peaceful demonstration last year, when thousands of farmers gathered at the capital’s doorstep protesting against the three contentious farm laws, took a violent activate Tuesday as agitators clashed with police in several parts of Delhi, broke barricades, and vandalized buses.
So far, eleven rounds of talks between the govt and farmer unions have did not break the impasse although Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar has offered a proposal to stay the laws under suspension for 1-1.5 years. The farmers, on the opposite hand, have demanded an entire repeal of the three black laws and a legal guarantee of the govt for minimum support price (MSP) of their crops.
Following a nationwide Chakka jam on farmer unions in Punjab and Haryana gave an involved Delhi Chalo movement, intensifying their protest against the farm laws. Braving tear gas and water cannons employed by Haryana police, the farmers reached the capital border and found out camps. After ruckus at the Singhu border, Delhi Police allowed the farmers to enter Delhi and protest at the Nirankari ground in Burari.
A round of talks between leaders of 35 unions and Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar remained inconclusive after the farmers refused to simply accept the Centre’s proposal to make a committee to debate the farm laws. The farmers stuck to their demand for the repeal of the laws.
A fresh round of talks also did not yield any outcome after a marathon meeting of eight hours. Union leaders flagged several loopholes and deficiencies within the laws whilst the Centre made many proposals on MSP and procurement system.
The fifth round of talks saw the farm leaders happening a man vrat and seeking a transparent yes or no reply, forcing the Centre to involve another meeting on December 9 to resolve the deadlock
Protesting farmers involved a Bharat Bandh, which had its maximum impact in Punjab and Haryana, where roads were blocked and markets remained closed. The shutdown, backed by most Opposition parties and trade unions, also had some impact in states like Odisha, Maharashtra, and Bihar.
Later in the evening, a gathering between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and a get group of farmers’ representatives also did not achieve a breakthrough as leaders rejected the proposal for amendments of the three laws.
The Supreme Court, hearing a petition seeking immediate removal of protesting farmers thanks to hardships to commuters, suggested that the Centre put the implementation of the new farm laws on hold while asserting the thought of constituting an impartial and independent committee to finish the impasse. The court, however, acknowledged the proper of farmers to carry non-violent protests.
The farmers observed a day-long relay fast in the least protest sites and announced an idea to halt toll collection on highways in Haryana.
The sixth round of talks between the govt and farmer leaders saw some headway, with the Centre agreeing to drop the penal provisions against farmers in an ordinance concerning stubble burning and to place on hold a proposed electricity amendment law.
The seventh round of talks ended on an inconclusive note because the farmer leaders continued to press for the withdrawal of the three farm laws, with the govt refusing to blink.
The farmer leaders held their ground during the meeting, which also did not break the logjam, and told the Centre that their Ghar wapsi return to home would happen only after the law was the repeal of laws. the govt. asked the unions to return up with alternatives to their demand for the repeal of laws.
The Supreme Court placed on hold the implementation of the three farm laws and named a committee to suggest in two months what changes, if any, was needed after hearing all sides. The committee includes Bhupinder Singh Mann National President, Bhartiya Kisan Union, and every one India Kisan Coordination Committee Pramod Kumar Joshi, Agricultural Economist and Director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute Ashok Gulati Agricultural Economist and Former Chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices and Anil Ghanwat, President, Shetkari Sanghatana.
The ninth round of talks also wasn’t fruitful because the protesting farmer unions stuck to their main demand for an entire repeal of the laws whilst the govt asked them to be more flexible in their approach and expressed its willingness for necessary amendments.
within the tenth round of dialogue, the govt proposed to suspend the three farm laws for one and half years and found out a joint committee to debate the legislation to finish the stalemate.
The farmers refused to budge from their demand for a complete repeal of the legislation as another round of talks hit a roadblock. the govt hardened its position, saying it might meet again once the union leaders comply with discussing the suspension proposal.
Chaos prevailed within the capital as protesting farmers pelted stones at police personnel and rammed their tractors into the buses parked by the cops at ITO in central Delhi. A DTC bus was also vandalized by angry farmers, prompting the cops to use tear gas and lathi-charge to disperse them.
Earlier within the day, groups of farmers broke police barricades at Singh, Tikri, and Ghazipur border points and made their way into Delhi much before the time they were granted permission by Delhi Police for his or her Republic Day tractor rally.
