Farmers to end protests? SKM panel likely to meet Amit Shah, Tomar

New Delhi, Dec 08: The five-member panel of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which is spearheading the farmers stir, is deliberating upon the government's fresh proposal on farmers' remaining demands in its meeting being held at All India Kisan Mahasabha office in central Delhi on Wednesday. Ravneet Brar, the spokesperson of BKU Kadian, said the committee members are also discussing about the panel to be set up by the government on legal guarantee to MSP and other issues.

"We appreciate that the govt is ready for talks & is giving something in writing. But the proposal had a few flaws, so last night, we sent it back with some amendments & are awaiting their response," said Ashok Dhawale, member of SKM's 5-member committee ahead of the meet.

"The formation of an MSP-focused committee is needed, including members from the farmers' union. The govt also said that the cases registered against us will be taken back after we finish the movement, which is wrong. We don't like sitting here in the cold," he said.

"The compensation has been approved theoretically, we need something concrete like the Punjab model. They also promised to take back the Electricity bill, but now they want to discuss it with the stakeholders & then put it up in the Parliament. It's contradictory," he added.

This comes a day after reports suggested that the farmers may end protest against agri laws, which was triggered last year after the government enacted three farm laws.

The farmers panel will meet again today for further discussion. The SKM hopes for a positive response from the government.

The SKM had formed a five-member panel on Saturday to hold talks with the government on the pending demands of the protesting farmers, including a legal guarantee on MSP for crops, compensation to the kin of the farmers who died during the agitation against three agriculture laws and the withdrawal of cases against the protesters.

The five-member panel of the SKM has farmer leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal, Ashok Dhawle, Shiv Kumar Kakka, Gurnam Singh Chaduni and Yudhvir Singh.

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 too.