Farmers likely to call off protest tomorrow after consensus on govt’s proposal

File Photo (ANI)

New Delhi: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Wednesday said that a consensus has been reached over a revised draft proposal of the Centre on their pending demands and it will now meet on Thursday to decide the future course of the movement, even as its leaders demanded a formal communication on government letterhead.

Farmer leader and SKM core committee member Gurnam Singh Chaduni said that the earlier draft from the central government on pending demands was not acceptable to them following which a fresh proposal was received from the Centre on Wednesday.

"We are in agreement with the government regarding our demands. We will decide about suspending the agitation after the meeting tomorrow. No decision has been taken yet on calling off agitation. Another meeting of SKM will be to be held tomorrow (Thursday) at 12 noon," Chaduni said at a press conference after a meeting of the SKM core committee.

The SKM, which is spearheading the farmers' movement, said in a statement that a consensus has been achieved on the central government's draft regarding farmers' demands.

"Consensus has reached on government's fresh proposal. Now, a formal communication signed on the government's letterhead is awaited. SKM will meet again tomorrow at twelve noon, at Singhu Border, to take a formal decision thereafter to lift the morchas,” the SKM said in a statement.

The SKM has also formed a five-member panel for a dialogue with the Centre regarding pending demands of farmers including legal guarantee on MSP, withdrawal of cases against farmers registered during the movement and compensation to kins of farmers died during the agitation.

Another farmer leader and SKM's five-member committee member, Yudhvir Singh said, “The ball is now in the government's court and a final decision will be taken tomorrow (Thursday).”

On Tuesday, the SKM had demanded clarification on certain points in the government's proposal, including on the precondition set for the withdrawal of "fake" cases against farmers.

On November 29, a bill was passed in Parliament to repeal the three contentious farm laws, one of the main demands of the protesting farmers.

But the stalemate continues with the protesters demanding that the government fulfil their other demands that included a legal guarantee on MSP and withdrawal of cases against farmers.