Meanwhile, Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal met with Interior Minister Amit Shah today and finalized the government’s position ahead of crucial talks aimed at breaking the deadlock on the three new agricultural laws.
In their letter to the government today, the farmers’ unions said that the talks will only be about the modalities to repeal the three laws and give legal guarantee on the Minimum Price of Livelihood (MSP).
Samyukt Kisan Morcha, representing 40 farmers’ unions, further said that the meeting agenda should include amendments that will be made and notified in the Ordinance of the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region. and Adjacent Areas by 2020 to exclude farmers of its penal provisions.
The letter said that the withdrawal of the 2020 Electricity Amendment Bill to protect the interests of farmers should also be part of the dialogue agenda.
In the latest letter, La Morcha noted that in his December 26 communication to the government, he had mentioned “changes” rather than “withdrawal” in the 2020 Electricity Amendment Bill by mistake.
People from the Kerala Farmers Association distribute pineapples to farmers on the Tikri border. (ANI photo)
In a letter dated December 26, the farmers had listed a four-point agenda for resuming dialogue with the government. In response, the government invited the farmers’ unions to a meeting on December 30 at 2 pm in Vigyan Bhavan.
Meanwhile, the Union’s agriculture minister, Narendra Singh Tomar, and the railway minister, Piyush Goyal, met with Amit Shah today for deliberations ahead of talks with farmers.
The sources said that ministers have finalized the government’s position for Wednesday’s meeting.
Tomar, Goyal, together with MoS Som Parkash trade and industry, have been representing the Center in dialogues with farmers.
So far, five rounds of formal talks have been inconclusive. The latest round took place on December 5, while the sixth round of talks originally scheduled for December 9 was suspended a day after an informal meeting between Shah and some union leaders failed to achieve any progress.
Farmers take part in a demonstration against the laws while blocking a road on the Singhu border. (AFP photo)
Meanwhile, farmers’ unions have postponed their proposed tractor march against contentious farm laws until December 31, so that the demonstration does not conflict with their talks with the government.
Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh, are camped on the borders of Delhi seeking the repeal of the three agricultural laws enacted in September by the Center. They have threatened to intensify their commotion in the coming days if their demands are not met.
Enacted in September, the three agricultural laws have been projected by the Center as major reforms in the agricultural sector that will eliminate intermediaries and allow farmers to sell their products anywhere in the country.
(With PTI inputs)
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