Union ministers who held the sixth round of talks with the 40 protesting farmers’ unions on Wednesday told farmers that the process to repeal a law is a lengthy one and proposed setting up a committee to examine the three new agricultural reforms.
The next meeting with farmers will be held on January 4.
The Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said he called on farmer leaders to send the elderly, women and children home considering the weather conditions in the national capital.
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“Today’s talks were conducted in a very good atmosphere and concluded on a positive note. Both sides reached consensus on two of the four issues,” Tomar said after meeting with farmers’ unions in Vigyan Bhawan.
The minister said unions were concerned about an environmental ordinance. “The first issue was an ordinance related to the environment. The unions were concerned about the inclusion of farmers along with those of Parali. Both parties agreed to the exclusion of farmers,” said the minister.
In addition, the government also decided to repeal provisions on stubble burning and an electricity bill.
“Farmers feel that if a reform is introduced in the Electricity Law, they will suffer losses. The unions wanted the electricity subsidy given to farmers by the states for irrigation to continue. A consensus was also reached on this issue,” Toma said.
“The government has been saying that MSP will continue. We are ready to put this in writing. But the farmers’ unions feel that MSP should get legal status. So the discussion will continue on the legal aspect of MSP and other issues on January 4. at 2 pm, “he added.
He reiterated that although the unions want the repeal of the agricultural laws passed by the central government led by the BJP in September, the talks ended on a good note.
The meeting was held with Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Piyush Goyal and Som Prakash.
The farmers’ agenda
The farmers’ unions, which have been protesting at various points along the Delhi border since November 26, said they had put forward a four-point agenda for talks ahead of the recent meeting.
The agenda included modalities to repeal the agricultural laws and a mechanism to bring a law that provides legal guarantee on the Minimum Price of Livelihood (MSP). Agitated farmers had a clear stance that they will leave the protest sites once the laws are repealed.
“We do not believe that the government wants to reach any amendment at this meeting. We hope that something fruitful will come out of this discussion today,” ANI told a peasant leader before the meeting.
Before the meeting, Som Prakash had said the talks would be “decisive” and the government wants farmers to “celebrate the New Year in their homes.”
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