State govts will take call on withdrawal of cases against farmers: Narendra Singh Tomar

SKM announced the suspension of protests on December 9 after receiving a formal letter from the Government of India promising the formation of a committee on MSP and withdrawal of cases against the farmers immediately.

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New Delhi: Days after Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) called off the agitation, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Sunday (December 12) said state governments will decide on withdrawal of the cases registered against farmers during the year-long protest. 

SKM, an umbrella body of farmer unions that spearheaded the protest, announced the suspension of protests on December 9 after receiving a formal letter from the Government of India promising the formation of a committee on MSP and withdrawal of cases against the farmers immediately. 

Speaking to reporters today on the issue of withdrawal of cases, Tomar, as quoted by PTI, said "The issue of law and order falls under the jurisdiction of state governments. So they will take a decision in this regard.”

He added that he has been in touch with the farmers' leaders since the last year. "I also talked to them today morning. We are saying that this is not a question of victory or defeat and you should also not see this issue like this," the Union minister said. 

The Centre's letter to SKM had mentioned that the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana have agreed to withdraw cases against farmers with immediate effect. "Cases registered against farmers in Delhi and other states will also be withdrawn", it added.

Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana had been protesting at Delhi borders—Tikri, Ghazipur and Singhu—since November last year seeking repeal of the three contentious farm laws. 

Earlier on Sunday, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said that farmers will leave all protest sites in Delhi by December 15. Tikait told ANI that he will be visiting Haryana, Chandigarh and Amritsar in the next three days to end the protests in those regions.

The BKU spokesperson informed that SKM  will hold its next meeting on January 15.

(With agency inputs)