Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Gurnam Singh Charuni on Wednesday said the farmers would continue to protest till the demands are met. He also sought a timeline for withdrawal of cases.
“Farmers’ protests will continue until after government accepts all of our demands… It would be problematic for us if we withdraw our protest, but they don’t take back the cases. The government should announce a timeline for the withdrawal of cases,” Charuni was quoted as saying by news agency.
Charuni said the Centre should follow the Punjab model while giving compensation to the kin of over 700 deceased farmers.
“For compensation to over 700 deceased farmers’ kin, we want the Centre to follow Punjab model; ₹5 lakh compensation and a job as announced by Punjab government should be implemented by Government of India as well,” Charuni said.
Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella of farmer unions, had formed a five-member committee and is awaiting the government’s response on the matter.
A member of SKM’s panel Ashok Dhawale said, “We appreciate that the government is ready for talks and is giving something in writing. But the proposal had a few flaws, so last night, we sent it back with some amendments and are awaiting their response.”
“The formation of a Minimum Support Price (MSP)-focused committee is needed, including members from the farmers’ union. The government also said that the cases registered against us will be taken back after we finish the movement, which is wrong. We don’t like sitting here in the cold,” he said.
Further pointing out the “flaws” in the proposal, Dhawale said, “The compensation has been approved theoretically. We need something concrete like the Punjab model. They also promised to take back the electricity bill, but now they want to discuss it with the stakeholders and then put it up in Parliament. It is contradictory.”
Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s five-member committee held an urgent meeting in the national capital on Wednesday. They are likely to take a decision on the future course of action on farmers’ protest.
On Tuesday, Samyukta Kisan Morcha held a meeting to discuss the Centre’s response and said that some pending issues still remain.
The farmers’ body informed that the government, in its proposal, has asked them to first end the protest and only then cases against them will be taken back.
Addressing the press conference after the meeting on Tuesday, SKM’s Balbir Singh Rajewal said that they will not accept the government’s condition that cases against farmers will be withdrawn after agitation is called off.
“Government’s proposal says after we end the movement, then only will they withdraw cases. We are apprehensive about it. Government should immediately begin with the (cases’ withdrawal) procedure. Final decision to be taken at tomorrow’s meeting,” said Balbir Singh Rajewal.