Modi government refuses to repeal agricultural law', what will farmers do now?

Home Minister Amit Shah told a group of farmer unions on Tuesday late evening that the government could not withdraw three new agricultural laws. The Central Government said this to the farmers on the day when the farmers' organizations organized Bharat Bandh to pressurize the government.

After the meeting with the Home Minister, All India Kisan Sabha leader Hanan Mulla said that Amit Shah will give written assurance to amend the agricultural laws on Wednesday morning. Mulla said that on Wednesday afternoon, agitating farmers will discuss the government's proposal on the Singhu border.

He said that farmers do not want amendment but want all these three laws to be repealed. However some farmer leaders want that this should be discussed before rejecting the government's proposal. On Tuesday, 25 political parties supported the Bharat Bandh of the farmers. These included trade unions, retail and transport associations and several professional bodies.

After the informal meeting of farmers union leaders with Amit Shah late on Tuesday night, the proposed talks of farmers with the government have been postponed on Wednesday. Till now the attitude of farmer unions is not clear what they will do now. Amit Shah and Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar met 14 farmer leaders. Two leaders of the National Farmers Federation were also involved in the meeting with the Home Minister.

Abhimanyu Kohar, spokesman of this association said, "After receiving the government's written proposal, the farmer leaders will decide their future strategy. Farmer leaders are committed to all their demands. These include the cancellation of three new agricultural laws, making the MSP Guarantee Law compulsory, waiving the electricity bill and withdrawing the penalty for burning stubble.

Even now there is no agreement between the government and the farmers. According to farmer leaders, Amit Shah said in a meeting held at the Indian Council of Agriculture Research Pusa Complex on Tuesday that Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will present a concrete proposal on Wednesday. There will be talk of amending all three new agricultural laws.

Darshan Pal of the Revolutionary Farmers Union has said that he does not accept the amendment proposal of the Central Government. He said that the deadlock would end only after the withdrawal of all three laws. However, on Wednesday, the joint Kisan Morcha will meet on the proposal of the central government on the Singhu border and further strategy will be decided.

This meeting is to be held today at ten o'clock. National Farmers Federation leader Shiv Sharma Kakaji has said that farmers are reiterating their demand that all the three laws be withdrawn. He said, "Government is asking for amendment but our demand is that all the three laws should be cancelled."