Farmer unions to meet today on Centre’s fresh talks offer, indicate resumption of dialogue


PTI, Dec 26, 2020, 9:49 AM IST

New Delhi: The protesting farmer unions met on Friday to discuss the government’s latest letter inviting them for talks, with some of them indicating that they may decide to resume their dialogue with the Centre to find a solution to the ongoing deadlock over the three contentious agri laws.

The unions said they will hold another meeting on Saturday where a formal decision on the Centre’s invite for the resumption of stalled talks is likely to be taken.

An official in the Union ministry of agriculture and farmers’ welfare also said the government was expecting the next round of meeting to take place in the next two-three days.

One of the protesting union leaders, who did not wish to be named, said their demand for a legal guarantee on minimum support price will, however, remain the same.

“We have another meeting tomorrow to take a decision on the Centre’s letter. In this meeting, we may decide to resume talks with the government as it appears through its previous letters that it has not been able to understand our issues so far,” the leader said.

He said the government’s letters have no proposals, the reason why farmer unions may decide to hold fresh talks and make it understand their demands.

“MSP cannot be separated from our demand of repealing these three laws. In these laws, there is mention about private mandis. Who will ensure that our crop is sold at fixed MSP if it is not there?” another leader asked.

On Friday, several farmer unions held a meeting, but no decision could be taken on the Centre’s latest letter.

On Thursday, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Vivek Aggarwal wrote to the protesting unions and invited them for fresh talks, but made it clear that it would not be “logical” to include in the agenda any new demand related to the MSP, which is out of the purview of the three new farm laws.

On Wednesday, the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 unions protesting at three Delhi border points — Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur — for the last 28 days, had asked the government to not repeat the proposal of “meaningless” amendments that they have already rejected but to come up with a “concrete offer” in writing for the resumption of talks.

The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee Friday demanded that the Centre arrange trains so that farmers from different parts of the country reach the ongoing protests at Delhi’s border points, adding that they are ready to pay the cost of tickets for all peasants.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi squarely blamed those with a political agenda for the deadlock in the Centre’s talks with the protesting farmers and asserted that his government was willing to hold dialogues with all, including those staunchly opposed to it, as long as talks are based on farm issues, facts and logic.

Enacted in September, the three farm laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.

However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of the MSP and do away with the “mandi” (wholesale market) system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

BCCI vs PCB spar on CT venue as Naqvi denies receiving any official note from Indian board

After Yogi’s ‘batenge, katenge’ slogan, PM pitches for unity with ‘Ek hai, toh safe hai’ message

“Coming soon.. 2025”: KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty announce first pregnancy

Mangaluru: Unauthorized bus stops at signals fuel traffic woes and safety concerns

SC notice to Karnataka, DK Shivakumar on CBI plea against withdrawal of consent by state govt

Will remain active in politics till my last breath: JD(S) patriarch & ex-PM Deve Gowda

BJP calls Congress govt ‘laughing stock’ as ‘samosa politics’ heats up in Himachal

Related Articles More

UP women’s body proposes men shouldn’t tailor women’s clothes or cut their hair

After Yogi’s ‘batenge, katenge’ slogan, PM pitches for unity with ‘Ek hai, toh safe hai’ message

Bank fraud: ED seizes jewellery, cash worth over Rs 1 cr in raids against Bhopal-based company, directors

No greater feeling than serving those in need: Outgoing CJI D Y Chandrachud

CJI Chandrachud: A legacy of landmark verdicts that shaped society and some controversy too

MUST WATCH

Gho Pooja in Deepavali Festival

Melukote Deepavali

Ganapathi Co-operative Society Ltd

Udayavani Chinnara Banna 2024

Annapoorna Aahar | Food Places In Mysore


Latest Additions

BCCI vs PCB spar on CT venue as Naqvi denies receiving any official note from Indian board

Use Carnatic music to promote Kannada language: Nirmala Sitharaman

Udupi: Car collides with bike; Rider injured

UP women’s body proposes men shouldn’t tailor women’s clothes or cut their hair

NSE, BSE to be closed on Nov 20 for Maharashtra assembly polls

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.