On Friday, the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar said that the Government had no record of the death of farmers who have died during the mass sit-in protests against the 3 Farm Laws introduced by the central Government.
Tomar was questioned whether the government was aware of the number of deaths of the protesting farmers since the protests had begun, to which he responded, “The Government of India has no such record.”
“However, the Government of India during the discussion with farmers’ union appealed to them that children and elders especially women should be allowed to go home in view of the cold prevailing at that time and COVID situation,” he added.
It is pertinent to mention that thousands of farmers from Panjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been protesting the three black farm laws sitting at Delhi borders- Singhu, Tikri and Gazipur since the past 8 months. The farmers demand that the laws be repealed and that they be assured an MSP (Minimum Support Price).
A group of 200 farmers has also been staging protests at the Jantar Mantar, Delhi lately. Farmers have also been holding a ‘Farmer’s Parliament’ in front of the parliament house for the ongoing monsoon session of the parliament.
Tomar was asked whether the government had conducted any survey to determine the reason’s behind the farmer’s anxieties, to which he responded, “No study has been undertaken to ascertain the reasons for apprehensions created in the mind of farmers on account of these farm laws. However, the Government of India has proactively undertaken efforts to reach out the farmers to remove their apprehensions.”
“The government has been engaged in active discussions with the farmers’ unions to resolve the issues. During various rounds of discussions, the government continuously requested the farmers’ unions to discuss the provisions of the farm laws, so that if there is an objection to any provision, the advancement can be made towards a resolution of those. But the farmers’ unions insisted only on the repeal of the farm laws,” said Tomar.
“So far, 11 rounds of negotiations talks were held between the government and agitating farmers’ unions to resolve the issues. The government is serious and sensitive towards farmers’ issues,” he added.
The farmers have since staged massive protests all over Panjab and Haryana. Last week, section 144 was imposed in Chandigarh after the Chandigarh police detained the protesting farmers. Huge protests have been carried out by the Indian Diaspora as well but to no conclusion. Several incidents of police brutality on the protesting farmers have also emerged during the past eight months.
The government seems hell bent on the new black laws despite the huge backlash from the farmers, activists and the opposition who cite that the black laws only help the crony capitalists and aim at snatching livelihood from the farmers.