A seven-hour meeting of farmer leaders of Punjab with the Government of India took place on 13th November 2020. The farmers presented their demands forcefully but the meeting was inconclusive, without any concrete assurance to farmers from the government yet. It was agreed that the dialogue will continue, after the farm leaders hold their own meeting in Punjab on November 18th. The Working Group of AIKSCC (All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee) described the lengthy inconclusive talks of the Government of India with Punjab Farmers Organisations including constituents of AIKSCC as being along expected lines.
The Government did not commit to taking back its black laws or bring in a legally guaranteed MSP regime for all farmers and all agricultural produce and did not have any proactive or constructive responses to the issues raised by farm leaders on this front.
“Farmers have decided that they will continue with their Dilli Chalo protest on Nov. 26-27th 2020 in response to a call given by more than 500 farmer organisations of several farmers and farmworkers federations and platforms, including AIKSCC, Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh and Bhartiya Kisan Unions led by Balbir Singh Rajewal and Gurnam Singh Chanduni.
AIKSCC calls upon all farmers in the country to unite in their struggle against the 3 black laws, and also seek the withdrawal of the Electricity Bill 2020.
“Dilli Chalo” program on November 26-27th 2020 will continue as planned. AIKSCC condemns the fact that the Central Government has refused to budge from its punitive measures against Punjab, and demands that the Government of India run goods trains immediately in Punjab, and stop the vindictive move of the economic blockade of the state.
Farmers organisations have been protesting in Punjab since the three farm bills have been passed in the Lok Sabha.
The three anti-farmer ordinances brought in during the lockdown have been introduced in the parliament in spite of nation-wide protests by farmers, strong opposition in the parliament, and notably the resignation of Union Minister Harsimrat Kaul Badal of the Shiromani Akali Dal, a long-standing ally of the BJP.
