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Farmers protesting in opposition to the three new farm legal guidelines are calling for the continuation of colonial rule, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Director representing India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan, Surjit Bhalla, stated on Saturday.
Speaking to Information18, he alleged the function of political opposition within the protests. “It is clear that the political opposition is out in force. The rich farmers of Punjab and Haryana feel that their unfair rich days are over… Several economists that have come out in support of reforms. Maybe the protests have something to do with politics,” he stated.
“Supporting rich farmers amounts to perpetuation of colonial rule. Reformed law allows farmers to sell outside mandis… Most rich farmers are based out of Punjab and Haryana. Around 6% farmers account for 60% of wheat procurement. Rich farmers are protesting to retain APMC largesse,” he added.
Agitating farmers, in the meantime, scaled up their protests on Saturday, picketing freeway toll plazas in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Hundreds of safety personnel have been deployed at border factors on highways linking Delhi following the announcement by agitating farmers to dam the Jaipur-Delhi and the Delhi-Agra Expressways on Saturday.
While each the Centre and farmer unions have stated that they’re open to talks after the cancellation of the assembly on December 9, there have been voices of mutual recrimination because the farmers’ protest continued on the 17th day with no signal of finish to the impasse.
Union Minister Som Prakash, who’s negotiating with protesting farmers, stated efforts are being made to name an early assembly with farmer leaders to finish the stalemate. The two sides have had 5 rounds of talks. The farmers have rejected a authorities provide to amend the farm legal guidelines and provides a “written assurance” on persevering with the MSP system.
Sticking to their demand for the repeal of the regulation, the farmer leaders stated they are going to sit on a starvation strike on December 14, once they have referred to as for a nationwide protest, and accused the federal government of making an attempt to divide them. Their assertion got here as Union Minister Piyush Goyal and another BJP leaders stated the agitation now not stays a farmers’ motion because it has been “infiltrated by Leftist and Maoist elements” demanding the discharge of these put behind bars for “anti-national activities”.
Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, whose JJP is in alliance with the BJP, met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in Delhi and stated he’s hopeful that the following spherical of talks between the Centre and the unions will happen within the subsequent 24-40 hours.
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