Govt invites 40 farmers unions for next round of talks on Dec 30

PTI, Dec 28, 2020, 7:24 PM IST

New Delhi: The government on Monday invited 40 protesting farmer unions for the next round of talks on December 30 on all relevant issues to find a ”logical solution” to the current impasse over the farm laws.

The government’s invite followed a proposal made by unions last week to hold the talks on Tuesday, December 29, on agenda including modalities for the repeal of the three laws enacted in September.

In a letter to the unions, Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Aggarwal has invited them for holding talks at 2 pm on Wednesday at Vigyan Bhavan in the national capital.

The last formal meeting took place on December 5, in which union leaders had demanded a clear ‘yes or no’ answer from the government on their main demand of the repeal of the three laws.

Taking note of the unions’ offer to resume talks, Aggarwal said, ”The government is also committed to finding a logical solution on all relevant issues with a clear intention and an open mind.”

With regard to the proposed agenda by the unions for the meeting, the Secretary said a detailed discussion will take place on three farm laws, MSP procurement system as well as Electricity Amendment Bill and ordinance to tackle air pollution in and around Delhi/NCR.

However, the government letter did not make any specific reference to one key condition proposed by the unions seeking talks on modalities for the repeal of the Acts.

So far, five rounds of formal talks held between the Centre and 40 protesting farmer unions remained inconclusive.

The last round of talks was held on December 5, while the sixth round of talks originally scheduled for December 9 was called off a day after an informal meeting of Home Minister Amit Shah with some union leaders failed to reach any breakthrough.

The government had, however, followed up Shah’s meeting with a draft proposal sent to the unions in which it had suggested 7-8 amendments to the new laws and written assurance on the MSP procurement system.

In its December 26th letter written to the government, farmer unions gave December 29 for the resumption of talks while made it clear that the modalities for the repeal of three farm laws and guarantee for MSP – minimum support price at which the government procures crops from farmers – should be part of the agenda for resuming talks with the government.

The date given by the government for the next round of talks is the same day when unions have also decided to hold a tractor march from Singhu Border and Tikri Border to the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) highway.

It’s been over a month now that thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh, are camping at Delhi borders seeking repeal of the three farm laws. They have threatened to intensify their stir in the coming days if their demands are not fulfilled.

The government has presented these laws as major agriculture reforms aimed at helping farmers and increasing their income, but protesting unions fear that these Acts have left them at the mercy of big corporates by weakening MSP and mandi systems.

While talks have remained deadlocked between the Centre and the agitating unions for almost a month now, the government has been meeting various other farmer groups that have extended their support to the new laws.

The government has alleged that protesting farmers are misled by opposition parties for their own political gains.

Speaking at an event, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said a ”wall of lies” has been spread in a ”planned manner” among farmers against the new farm laws, but it will not last long and protesting peasants will soon realise the truth.

The minister reiterated he remains hopeful to find an early solution to end the impasse.

”I am happy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought revolutionary changes through farm laws keeping the future in mind. I am confident that these laws will benefit poor, small and marginal farmers across the country,” Tomar said.

Modi, while flagging off the 100th ‘Kisan Rail,’ also asserted that his government has undertaken historic reforms in the farm sector to boost agriculture and strengthen farmers and it will continue to do so with full force and dedication.

The ‘Kisan Rail,’ a service started by his government, will help small and marginal farmers, who are over 80 per cent of the peasantry, in supplying their produce to far-off markets, the prime minister said, adding that big demand for its services led to a rise in its frequency.

This will also help boost the income of farmers, he added.