Five leaders from opposition parties, including Congress' Rahul Gandhi and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, met President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday, 9 December, seeking a repeal of farm laws that have led to massive protests by farmers in the last couple of days, with the epicentre being Delhi-NCR.
"We informed the President that it is absolutely critical that these anti-farmer laws are taken back... The way farm Bills were passed, we feel it's an insult to farmers... That's why they are protesting in cold weather," Rahul Gandhi told the media after the meeting.
CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury said a memorandum has been handed over to the president seeking to repeal the agriculture laws and the Electricity Amendment Bill that were passed in an "anti-democratic manner without proper discussions and consultations."
“There was a request from all opposition parties for in-depth discussion of farm Bills and that it should be sent to select committee, but unfortunately, no suggestion was accepted and the Bills were passed in a hurry... In this cold, the farmers are on the streets protesting peacefully, expressing their unhappiness. It is the duty of the government to resolve this issue.”NCP chief Sharad Pawar, as quoted by ANI
Protesting farm leaders, meanwhile, rejected the government's draft proposal for amendments in the three contentious laws on Wednesday. According to reports, farm leaders called for protest demonstrations and ‘gheraos’ on 14 December, and the Delhi-Jaipur highway to be blocked till 12 December.
Amid the continuing protests, the Centre on Wednesday had sent a draft proposal to the unions, saying that it will give a written assurance on MSP, among other proposals. However, farm leaders have called for a repeal of the legislations.
The sixth round of talks between the Centre and farm leaders scheduled for Wednesday was cancelled earlier. On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with protesting farmers, but the meeting had ended inconclusively.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)
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