Even when the government invited 40 protesting agricultural unions to another round of talks on December 30, the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar appeared to draw a hard line on Monday. Stating that the prime minister was dedicated to “improving the economic situation of farmers”, Tomar said that “no power could exert pressure and influence (daav aur prabhaav)” over him.
At a separate event, Modi said that the government “will continue to advance down the path of strengthening Indian agriculture and farmers.”
Speaking to a group of farmers who support the new agricultural laws, Tomar said: “At the time of the UPA government, Manmohan Singhji and Sharad Pawarji also wanted to enact these laws, but they could not resist pressure and influence. So they couldn’t legislate these laws. But we are lucky that Narendra Modiji is our prime minister today. “
“Modiji has no selfish interest. His single-point program is the development of the country and the well-being of the people. It is fully dedicated to the single-point program of making agriculture prosperous and improving the economic condition of farmers, ”he said.
“Jab uddeshya prati samarpan ho, desh prati samarpan ho, toh koi bhi taakat apne dadaav aur prabhaav ka istemaal neta par nahin kar paatee (when there is dedication to the purpose, dedication to the country, then no power can exert pressure and influence on the leader) ”Toma said.
Tomar’s comments are in line with Modi’s earlier statement that the government was ready to talk to the agricultural unions, but the talks would have to be based on “questions, logic and facts.”
Marking Kisan Lane 100 from Sangola in Maharashtra to Shalimar in West Bengal via video conference on Monday, Modi said the recent reforms would lead to the expansion of agribusiness.
“We will continue to march on the path of strengthening Indian agriculture and farmers with full devotion, with full force,” Modi said. He said the Kisan Rail service was an important step towards increasing farmers’ income.
Meanwhile, the union’s agriculture secretary, Sanjay Agarwal, sent a letter to 40 representatives of agricultural unions, inviting them to the next round of talks on December 30. He said the government was committed to resolving “relevant issues in a rational manner” with a “clean intention and open mind.”
All farmer-related issues, including the three farm laws, MSP-based procurement, the 2020 National Capital Region and Contiguous Areas Commission Air Quality Management Ordinance, and the 2020 Draft Electricity Amendment Act 2020 will be discussed in detail, Agarwal said. in the letter.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Jamhuri Kisan Sabha General Secretary Kulwant Singh Sandhu said that agricultural union leaders would attend the meeting. “We will go to the meeting, but the sequence of discussion of the agenda items will be the same as that given in our letter of December 26,” Sandhu said. “We have sent an email to the government confirming our participation in the talks,” he said.
The government letter comes two days after protesting agricultural organizations announced their decision to resume talks with the government and proposed December 29 as the next meeting date.
The latest round of talks between the government and agricultural unions took place on December 8, when Interior Minister Amit Shah met with 13 representatives of the agricultural unions. A day after this meeting, the Center had sent a written proposal for concessions to the protesting unions, which they had rejected in an email sent on December 16.
Talks between the government and the agricultural unions have been inconclusive as both sides have remained in their positions. While the government has offered concessions, including changes to relevant sections of the laws, the farmers are sticking to their demand for repeal of the three laws.
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