Decision should be for farmers of entire country, not Punjab alone: Farm leaders

With the Centre inviting them for a fresh round of talks on Tuesday and Union home minister Amit Shah likely to attend the meeting, Punjab’s farmer leaders went into a huddle at Singhu on the Haryana-Delhi border to build consensus on issues and stand to be taken.

“The Centre has had two meetings with you (farm bodies) to resolve problems of the farmers. In the same chronology, we invite you for a meeting with a high-level ministers’ group at 3pm on December 1,” read the latest invite by agriculture secretary Sanjay Agarwal that was received late on Monday night.

The farm leaders will ask the cabinet ministers meeting them to bring on board farm unions of the entire country for talks. They want a decision being taken keeping in mind farmers of the entire country, not a particular state.

Responding to the invite, Bharti Kisan Union (Dakounda) general secretary Jagmohan Singh said the farm organisations are expected to attend the meeting and seek a common decision for farmers of the entire country.

“A Punjab-specific package or offer is not acceptable,” he said.

Punjab’s farmer organisations are spearheading the agitation opposing the new farm laws passed in Parliament that liberalise agriculture and have descended on the borders of Delhi since November 27, seeking a repeal of the laws that they claim are not in farmers’ interest.

The Centre, however, says the new laws will lead to reforms in the agriculture sector.