Samyukt Kisan Morcha gets govt proposal on 5 demands; dropping of cases key sticking point

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Sonepat, December 7

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) today received a draft proposal on five of the six pending demands from the Centre, even as it decided to put off till tomorrow its decision on carrying forward the agitation.

Rahul submits list of deceased farmers

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday submitted in the Lok Sabha a list of farmers who died during the agitation against the three farm laws. Speaking during the Zero Hour, Rahul said more than 700 farmers died during the agitation.

Contentious issues

• The morcha wants to know if the panel on MSP will work for the formation of a law on the issue
• On proposal to drop cases against farmers after the stir ends, the SKM wants it to be done unconditionally
• Wants compensation to the kin of deceased farmers in all states on Punjab pattern (Rs5L and job to kin)
• Wants the Centre to keep its earlier assurance of not introducing the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020, in Parliament

The five-member committee of the morcha would renegotiate with the Centre over the draft proposal and apprise the SKM members about the outcome at a meeting to be held at Singhu at 2 pm tomorrow.

The committee comprises Balbir Singh Rajewal, Ashok Dhawale, Shiv Kumar Kakka, Gurnam Singh Charuni and Yudhvir Singh. A draft proposal over the pending demands of the SKM was received from the Ministry of Home Affairs today, they said. Some farm leaders wanted clarification on various issues, they added.

As regards Centre’s proposal to form a panel on the MSP issue, the SKM wants to know if the panel would work for the formation of a law.

Another proposal by the Centre is that cases against farmers will be dropped in Delhi, Haryana, UP and various Union Territories after the stir is called off.

SKM panel members say the dropping of cases should be unconditional in all states and UTs.

The Haryana and UP governments have agreed to give compensation to the kin of farmers who died during the agitation, but the SKM wants an assurance that the compensation will be on the Punjab pattern (Rs 5 lakh and job to a family member).

On government’s proposal that the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020, will be discussed with all stakeholders before being introduced in Parliament, SKM leaders said the Centre had earlier assured them that it would never be presented in Parliament.

The government has also proposed to free farmers of the criminal liability under Sections 14 and 15 of the Air Pollution Act for stubble burning.