Image Source: The Indian Express

Agencies:

Centre offers to put farm laws on hold for 1-1.5 years

New Delhi
January 21, 2021

The Centre proposed suspending the implementation of three contentious farm laws for up to a year and a half so that the Government and protesting farmers can arrive at a consensus on them. The Government said a joint committee will also be set up toward this end. The farmers� unions said they will revert on Friday after discussing the proposal among themselves. They said the Government had offered to suspend the laws for as much as two years.

Farmers said the Government had been forced into making the move due to the nearly two month long protests at sites on Delhi�s borders but that they are still committed to the repeal of the laws.

�The Supreme Court has put the implementation on hold for small duration,� Union agriculture minister Narendra Tomar told reporters after the meeting, referring to the apex court�s recent ruling. �We proposed to suspend it for one and half years. During this time, we will form a committee comprising representatives from farmers and government to arrive at a mutually agreed resolution on the three laws and their demand on minimum support price (MSP).�

He said the Government had wanted to resolve the �crisis� at the 10th meeting held on Wednesday between the two sides to commemorate the birth anniversary of the 10th Sikh Guru--Guru Gobind Singh.

�We started with a firm mind of discussion as per the provisions of farm laws,� he said. �But today is dedicated to Guru Gobind Singhji. So we wanted resolution of this issue. Hence, we have given them the proposal of suspending the laws, which the unions have agreed to think over.�

Tomar said that if the unions agree to the proposal, the committee comprising government representatives and farmers will work in parallel to the panel appointed by the Supreme Court to arrive at a resolution of differences. �We are committed to the Supreme Court,� Tomar said. �But government is also directly accountable to farmers and the situation emerged due to this agitation. We will fulfil our responsibility. Both committees will work towards welfare of farmers.�