Indian farmers reject government request for more talks

Indian farmers have rejected a government request to hold further talks over their weeks-long protest sit-ins against agricultural reform laws, saying they will continue the protests until New Delhi withdraws those laws.

The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on the farmers to engage in talks to end the deadlock over the three laws introduced in September.

“We assure our farmers that we’ll listen to them with an open mind,” said Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday. The government was “open” to amending the new laws, Tomar added.

Farmer leaders, however, said they would not relent unless the government withdrew the laws, as demanded by the protesters.

“Farmers have decided they won’t go back till the government takes back all three farm laws,” said Rakesh Tikait, spokesman for one of over 30 protesting unions.

“It will take more than a month to resolve all issues. Government will come to us,” he said.

The government passed the three laws in a declared attempt to overhaul procurement procedures and grant farmers more options to sell their products.

The farmers, however, say the proposed amendments will create an opportunity for large private companies to enter and exploit the entire agriculture sector.

Thousands of farmers have camped on key national highways for weeks, despite cold weather and the coronavirus pandemic, calling on Modi’s government to revoke the laws.

“It’s very difficult to camp out in this weather, but we aren’t scared,” said one protester. “We won’t go back until our demands are met. Even if we have to die here, we will.”

Indian farmers have been getting support from people in several other countries. Tens of thousands of expatriate Indians, mainly from Punjab, have organized protest rallies in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

SS