Farmers' organisations meeting in Delhi to end stand-off with Government

The standoff between the government and the agitating farmers' union on the issue of three agricultural laws continues, but there are hundreds of farmers' organisations representing crores of farmers in the country who want to move forward through dialogue and discussion. Sardar VM Singh, President of Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, is organising a meeting of farmers' organisations who wants solutions through amendments to three agricultural laws.

New Delhi: The standoff between the government and the agitating farmers' union on the issue of three agricultural laws continues, but there are hundreds of farmers' organisations representing crores of farmers in the country who want to move forward through dialogue and discussion. Sardar VM Singh, President of Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, is organising a meeting of farmers' organisations in Delhi on Wednesday who wants solutions through amendments to three agricultural laws.

ETV Bharat had a special conversation with farmer leader Sardar VM Singh, in which he said that more than 100 farmer organisations from 20 states will be present in the meeting to be held at Gurdwara Rakabganj on Wednesday. The farmer leaders who cannot reach Delhi themselves will join the meeting through the virtual medium.

The foundation of the farmers' movement on the borders of Delhi for the last 9-months was also started from Gurdwara Rakabganj in Delhi, when VM Singh, the convener of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, united about five hundred farmer organisations and gave the call for "Delhi Chalo". Although VM Singh was later sidelined from that front, he said that he has always stood with the farmers on the issue of MSP guarantee and amendments in the law.

VM Singh, who has been a prominent face of the farmers' movement for two decades, says that if the government agrees to guarantee on MSP and makes some other amendments in the three agricultural laws, then farmers of all the provinces of the country will be benefited. To do this, he wants to sit and discuss with the government and discuss the laws point-by-point and advise amendments.

Although the agitating farmers' organizations sitting on the borders of Delhi are adamant on the demand for repeal of the three laws, there are also a number of such organisations who do not have any problem with the three agricultural laws after the necessary amendment. VM Singh said that if the government makes a law to purchase crops on MSP with a guarantee, then the farmer will get a fair price for his crop. After that, whoever buys his crop, the farmer makes an agreement with anyone, it will not affect his income.

Along with this, VM Singh wants the government to guarantee to the farmers that there will be no acquisition of their lands, they will have full right to go to court and the government will also make necessary changes in the Essential Commodities Act (Amendment) 2020. In this way, the solution can be worked out. On the one hand, for the last 14-days, United Kisan Morcha is organising Kisan Sansad at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, on the other hand, a front has arisen which will try to end this impasse and agree on the matter of the amendments.

VM Singh said that merely prolonging the movement should not be the goal. Today it is necessary to see what is being achieved. More than five hundred farmers have died, the pain of their families and the loss being suffered by the farmers also have to be seen. There is also a need to think about those farmers who have been supporting the movement while living in their respective areas. VM Singh believes that some middle paths can be found, which will benefit the farmers and the matter of the government will also remain.