Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to appeal farmers to end protest, work with Centre to resolve all issues

NEW DELHI: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will make an appeal to the farmers on Thursday to end their agitation a day after they rejected the government’s draft proposal and called for another nationwide shutdown on December 14.

According to the sources, Tomar will urge the agitating farmers to work with the government to end the impasse. The Agriculture Minister will hold brief the media about the government’s offer to farmers and assurances about the continuation of MSP – a key demand of farmers.

Tomar had on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah after farmer leaders rejected the Centre's draft proposal to amend the new agriculture laws. Minister of Railways, Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal was also present in the meeting.

The government, in its proposal circulated among the farmer leaders on Wednesday, had offered to amend 7-8 issues, including providing a written assurance of minimum support price. 

It also appealed to protesting farmers to end the agitation that's been going on nearly two weeks now at various border points of the national capital. The Agriculture Minister reportedly discussed with the Home Minister a possible way to end the stalemate after the farm unions rejected the government's draft proposal, according to news agency PTI.

A select group of farm leaders, after the meeting with Shah on December 8 night, had made it clear that they would not accept any amendments and would continue to protest unless the government repeals all three farm laws.

Speaking to PTI, general secretary of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Dakaunda) Jagmohan Singh had said, "We have rejected the government's proposal. We are planning to send a rejoinder to the central government."

Singh, however, said farmer leaders are open for dialogue. "We will come to the meeting if the government invites, but our demand should be met. It has become a mass movement. We cannot return to our villages with empty hands," he added. 

Addressing a press conference, farmer leader Shiv Kumar Kakka said there was nothing new in the government's proposal, and that it was "completely rejected" by the 'Sanyukta Kisan Committee' in its meeting on Wednesday. Farmer union leaders termed the proposal an "insult" to the farmers of the country. They, however, said if the government sends a fresh proposal for talks, they may consider it.

The sixth round of talks between the government and farm union leaders, which was scheduled for Wednesday morning, was cancelled.

According to the union leaders, a new 'Delhi Chalo' (march to Delhi)' call is being given to all farmers in north India for December 14, while those in the South will be asked to protest at district headquarters.

The farmer leaders also said they would gherao BJP ministers, the party's district offices and boycott its leaders on December 14. They said all toll plazas across the country will be made toll-free on December 12.

In the draft proposal sent to the farmer unions, the government had also said it was ready to provide all necessary clarifications on their concerns about the new farm laws enacted in September. It did not, however, mention anything about the main demand of protesting farmers which is to repeal the laws.

The government had also proposed to make necessary amendments on at least seven counts, including one to allay fears about the weakening of the mandi system.