Farmers protest update: New group favors farm bills; say ‘some elements’ creating misconception

On Monday at least ten organizations representing agriculture leaders from many states met Union Minister and extended their assistance to disputed farm laws, while thousands other organizations stepped up for the national pushback against the legislation.

Delegation of farmers all associated with the All India Kisan Coordination Committee, from UP, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Bihar and Haryana met Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

The group claimed that there has been several attempts of creating misunderstanding among the protestors in Delhi regarding the Farm laws.

In the memorandum the delegates stated that they have come to meet the minister in order to show that the farmers are in support of the Farm laws and that the farmers were already not happy about the old laws. There has been a huge misunderstanding that is being created among the farmers inside the protest.

As notified by the Committee for Agricultural Commodity Markets, the new farms laws allow farmers, to sell t produce outside the mandis, replacing mostly agents that act as intermediaries between farmers and government-regulated wholesale markets. A majority of farmers are opposed to this because they believe that these workers are important to the agriculture industry and the key source of credit.

Farmers from various parts of the nation would have to go on the streets for their rights if the laws are removed as stated in the memorandum requesting the government of Narendra Modi, in some areas of the country not to revoke the three laws under pressure from farmers.

The group also suggested that the government raise public awareness of agriculture regulations by way of public camps and emphasize "the introduction of new-age technology" into agriculture.

After the conference, Union minister Tomar said Kisan Coordination Committee Representatives of All India have sent a letter outlining their demands. When asked about the meeting with protesting farmers' representatives, Tomar said the government is able to talk with them unconditionally and that the delegates have shown support for the laws.

On 9 December the Center's written proposal on changes to three Acts, which said that they would consider only a full summary of the policies, was refused by the representatives of farmers' unions.

The meeting between the farmers who supported the legislations and Tomar was held on the day of a day-long hunger strike to demonstrate their disaffection, with thousands of farmers camping in Delhi.

Punjab and Haryana farmers, among all the tens and thousands have huddled for nineteen days at the primary entrance points in Delhi, claiming that they will not leave until they dismantle what they call "black laws," the regime. Farmers worry that agricultural reforms will undermine the government's minimum aid market system, contribute to deregulation of prices of crops, deprive their products a decent remuneration and place them at the hands of firms.

Three groups claimed to represent 1,20,000 farmers of Haryana. They accepted the newly passed agricultural laws, provided certain sections of the legislations to be amended. On Sunday, a delegation of more than 100 farmers from Uttarakhand extended their support to the laws as well.