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Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Monday asserted that ít was 'unacceptable' for the farmers to protest against the Farm Laws amid the COVID pandemic. The Bihar CM claimed that the farmers'protestwas confined to a few regions and wasnot spread across the entire country.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar claimed thatthere was no agitation of the farmers in the stateasthey were reportedly happy with the government's initiatives and policies.
"As you all know, the Bihar government has been taking a lot of initiatives for farmers, and therefore in our state, there is no agitation. The farmers are all happy," Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said.
It is pertinent to mention point out that, in 2016,Bihar becamethe first state in the country to abolish the APMC Act which facilitated private companies to directly purchase from farmers which in turn provided amajor boost to production. According to the Bihar government’s department of agriculture, wheat production in 2005-06 was 1,379 kg per hectare which rose to 2,797 kg per hectare in 2012-13. In 2018-19, the wheat production was 2,998 kg per hectare.In 2005-06, rice production in Bihar was 1,075 kg per hectare which rose to 2,523 kg per hectare in 2012-13. In 2018-19, the rice production per hectare was 1,948 kg per hectare.
In the case of Maize, its production has also increased.In 2005-06, it was 2,098 kg per hectare which increased to 3,975 kg per hectare in 2012-13. The maize production in 2018-19 was 4,771 kg per hectare.
Rakesh Tikait gives two month-deadline; Centre says 'ready for discussion'
On Thursday, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikaitissued a'civil war' threat if the three contentious farm laws were not rolled back by the Centre. While addressing the media, Rakesh Tikait asserted that they were organising a Mahapanchayat on September 5, where the future course of the protest would be decided. He added thatthe Centre hadtwo months to discuss and take steps towards the absolute scrapping of the farm laws, failing which, a 'civil warwill be inevitable', he concluded.
"We have called a Mahapanchayat on September 5, where we will be deciding the future course of action. The government has two months, and I think it should initiate talks," Tikait said, underlining that he feels that a civil warwas inevitable. He also made it clear that the farmers are not going back.
A couple of days thereafter,Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomarsaid that the government is now prepared to hold discussions with farmers.Tomar, during his press conference prior to the parliamentary meeting on Sunday, added, "The people of the Kisan Union are urged to leave the path of agitation and adopt the path of discussion. The government is ready to discuss."
The declaration holds significanceamid theparliament's Monsoon Session, in which the government plans to meet with protesting farmers and discuss the possibility of passing farm laws during the session.
What are the three farm bills?
As the country opened up after lockdown, the Centre promulgated three ordinances affecting agriculture. Agriculture foodstuff including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions, and potatoes are to be deregulated while stock limits were to be imposed only under extreme conditions, under the amendment to the Essential Commodities act. The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act was to enable better price realisation for farmers by attracting investments - making the agriculture sector competitive. Under the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm services ordinance, 2020, it provided a framework for the protection and empowerment of farmers with reference to the sale and purchase of farm products overriding all state APMC laws. While the Supreme Court has stayed its implementation, talks between the Centre and farmers have stalled after 12 rounds.
