Fresh round of Centre-farmer talks over agricultural reforms to be held today

Thousands of farmers primarily from Punjab and Haryana, who are camped at the border of Delhi since Nov 26, have already warned that they would hold a tractor rally on Republic Day on Jan 26 if their demands of the repeal of the laws are not met.

While the government is firm on implementing the contentious farm laws, it has agreed in the last round of talks to withdraw the Electricity Amendment Bill and the penal provisions for stubble burning in the Air Quality Commission Ordinance, which were among the other demands of the protesting farmers. 

One of the Centre's new farm laws will now allow farmers to sell their produce to institutional buyers beyond the regulated wholesale market.

Though the middlemen in the wholesale markets are often accused of usurping the farmers in the earlier agricultural system, the protesters, backed by several opposition parties, fear they will have little bargaining power while selling their produce to institutional buyers, running the risk of getting exploited with the gradual destablising of the mundies.       

Remaining firm on the government's stance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on multiple occasions blamed the Opposition for motivating the farmers for political points.

Rubbising Modi's claim, almost all opposition parties, including of course Congress, slammed the central government for jeopardising the agricultural sector to benefit crony capitalists.

The farmers' protests had also incurred worry for the Modi government as it has lost a numberof allies over the issue.