While some misled farmers continue to protest against the new farm laws, ten farmer leaders associated with the All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC) met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and extended their support to the three new agrarian laws passed by Parliament. The All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC) is the fourth group of farmers who have pledged their support to the laws in the last two weeks.
It is pertinent to note that AIKCC has presence in 28 states, and is considered as one of the largest farmer organisations in India.
These representatives of farmers’ unions came to the national capital from several states such as Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Bihar and Haryana to meet the Union Agriculture Minister and hand over a memorandum to extend their support to the three farm laws.
10 organisations from various states like Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Bihar and Haryana, associated with All India Kisan Coordination committee, are meeting Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, to extend their support on 3 Farm Bills. pic.twitter.com/FMnzpoO2c1
— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2020
The memorandum speciafically slammed those few elements who were trying to spread misinformation and instigate the farmers against the new laws. According to them, some elements involved in the farmers’ protest were trying to spread misconceptions about the agrarian laws among the protesters.
Some elements involved in the farmer’s stir were trying to push the farmers back into the dungeons by provoking them against the new farm laws: AIKCC
The farmer leaders mentioned that the AIKCC has always raised its voice against laws that exploit farmers in the last three decades and would continue to do so. Throwing its weight behind the new laws, it said that the new farmer’s laws would mark a new beginning for the farmers and that these elements involved in the farmer’s stir were trying to push the farmers back into the dungeons by provoking them against these laws brought by the Modi government.
They argued that the farmers should not be forced to adhere to the APMCs. Moreover, the farmers’ representatives warned that they will hit the streets if Centre repeals the agrarian laws. The memorandum also listed other demands such as the availability of modern technology to farmers, reduction of GST on farm equipment and fertilizers and the complete repeal of the Essential Commodities Act.
All India Kisan Coordination Committee express gratitude, requests Govt to not give in to the protesting farmer’s flawed demands
The farmer leaders associated with the All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC) urged the central government to stick to its decision to implement the new farm laws and not give in to the flawed and inapt demands of the protesting farmers.
They said that they have come together from different parts of the country to express their gratitude towards the central government for bringing in such laws which would change the fate of the farmers in the country.
Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has been leading the negotiations with 40 farmer unions, along with Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce and Industries Som Parkash. “We tried to convince farmers and farmer unions leaders. Our wish is that they come for clause-by-clause discussion. If they are ready to express their views clause by clause, we are ready for discussion,” he said.
Enacted in September, the three farm laws have been projected by the central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country, thereby getting them the best rate for their produce. However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates, a fallacy that the Congress and the leftist liberals have been peddling day and night to mislead farmers. However, Modi government has, again and again, stressed that they are neither abolishing APMC Mandis not repealing MSPs.
