Express News Service
CHANDIGARH: A panel set up by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farm unions, on Tuesday sought clarifications and amendments on a set of draft proposals the Union home ministry sent to it in writing to address their demands and facilitate ending their year-long protest.
The panel hopes to discuss the ministry’s response on Wednesday to take a call.
While the draft said a committee comprising representatives from the Central and state governments, experts and representatives of SKM and other farmer outfits will be formed to look into the demand for a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanism, the SKM does not want other farmer unions in it.
The SKM is unwilling to allow space to outfits that were not part of the agitation, said senior leader Balbir Singh Rajewal.
Second, the draft says all criminal cases against farmers will be withdrawn after the agitation ends.
“We will not accept it. The government should immediately begin the procedure to withdraw cases in a time-bound manner. The Punjab government has already announced its decision to drop the cases,’’ Rajewal said.
Third, the draft has in principle agreed to give compensation to farmers who died during the course of the agitation.
“Our count of the toll is 700. The Centre can follow the Punjab model, which involves `5 lakh compensation and a government job to the next of kin,’’ said Ashok Dhawale, another senior SKM leader.
Fourth, on the proposed electricity amendment bill, the Centre says it will bring a bill in Parliament after due diligence and talks with all stakeholders, but the matter is already on the winter session’s legislative agenda.
“During talks held earlier with the SKM, the government had said it would not bring this bill in Parliament,’’ pointed out Dhawale.
Fifth, on stubble burning, the Centre had assured that there will be no criminal liability on farmers.
“But amendments in the Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act 2021 have made stubble burning punishable in Section 15. It should be amended,’’ added Dhawale.
No consensus yet
While farmer leader Kulwant Singh Sandhu claimed a consensus has been arrived at and “nearly all demands” have been met, the SKM said there was no such thing.
The morcha will reconvene at 2 pm tomorrow for further discussion, it said in a statement later.
