TLI Staff
New Delhi: The all-powerful Modi government has finally blinked proposing to put on hold the controversial farm laws for one to one-and-half years.
“During this time representatives of farmers’ Unions and the Government can discuss all issues related to the farmers’ agitation so that an appropriate solution can be arrived at,” an official statement from Agriculture Ministry said.
During the talks, the representatives of the farmers’ unions said that they will discuss the proposal in detail and will come back with their decision on January 22.
While the government budged from its long-held position due to mounting pressure from protesting farmers, it maintained that the farm laws would bring revolutionary change in the life of farmers and in the agriculture sector.
Union Minister for Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar put forward the proposal during the 10th round of talks between Government and Farmers Unions held here at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
Besides Tomar, the other key Ministers present in the meeting were Piyush Goyal and Som Prakash.
Tomar appealed that clause wise discussion of the farm laws can take place for the talks to be meaningful. Further, Farmers’ Unions can also give alternatives other than repeal of the laws.
The development has come close on the heels of Supreme Court stopping the implementation of three controversial farm laws and forming a four-member committee to examine them. One of the members Bhupinder Singh Mann, however, quit since saying he took the decision in view of the prevailing sentiments.
Farmers from across the country especially Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been on war path with the central government on the three disputed laws and want withdrawal of the three laws passed hurriedly by the Parliament last September.
Protesting for over 50 days now braving the bone-chilling cold in the Capital, farmers have stood firm on their stand and said that they will not settle for anything other than the repeal of the three laws.