In a boring repetition of what happened in the previous eight rounds of talks between the Central government and the warring farmer unions over the three farm laws, the 9^th one on Friday and the first to be held after the Supreme Court formed a four-member expert committee to broker ‘peace’ also hit the wall. The outcome was expected since from the ongoing ‘bargaining’ it is clear by now that no side will loosen their respective stand and even if there are countless number of such talks with the next one slated for January 19^th , the results will not be different perhaps. It is a telling irony that in a democracy like India which is also the largest in the world, even prolonged dialogues are proving ineffective in resolving an issue which is of a grave national importance. Any sensible person carrying a minimum amount of knowledge and understanding of the current socio-economic-political milieu of the country must agree that the current stalemate, which has now reached an epical proportion would not have made an entry had these ‘dialogues’ preceded the period when these laws were drafted. It had been a one-sided traffic then without the consultations usually necessary for a ‘path-breaking’ change as this one and the mishap that now seems of a monumental proportion is not at all a bolt from the blue.

 It is most unfathomable why another round of talks have been announced when it is clear that except for a complete repeal of all the three ‘disturbing’ laws, there will be no solution. The voices for this argument are gaining in volume and strength and all interlocutors, however wise they may be, irrespective of they being appointed by the Supreme Court will not be able to crack the deadlock, until and unless the government rolls the laws back. Even the four-member expert committee formed by the apex court has started developing cracks with Bhupinder Singh Mann, a farmer leader himself declining to join the discourse saying “I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab.” One must recall that former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha who was offered to head the committee also declined to accept the role. It must also have caught the attention of all that former Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju in a letter to the Prime Minister has advised him to immediately repeal the three laws through an ordinance and accept the “mistake” of hurrying the three laws.

Reforms are necessary in the agriculture sector and for that wide-ranging discussions ought to be preceded. It’s clear that the key to ending the unceasing impasse is in the government's hands and a decision needs to be taken without wasting time. But, when will it be used is a trillion-dollar question.