Centre and farmers' unions to resume talks today; unions stick to demand of farm laws rollback

The Centre will resume talks with the farmers' union leaders who are adamant on their demand of repealing the three new farm laws, giving a legal guarantee on the MSP among other issues.

New Delhi: The Centre and the protesting farmers union leaders will resume stalled dialogue on Wednesday (December 30, 2020) with the latter sticking to their demand for the modalities of repealing the three new farm laws and giving a legal guarantee on the MSP among other issues.

In a letter to Sanjay Agarwal, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, Further, said the agenda should also include amendments to be made to the Commission Ordinance for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas, 2020 and the procedure for withdrawal of the draft Electricity Amendment Bill 2020.

The Morcha also formally accepted the government’s invitation to the talks, they said, “It is necessary to conduct our discussion according to this agenda to find a rational solution to relevant issues.”

While all 40 leaders invited by the government will go for the talks, only five leaders will put forward the views of the farmers. Also, farmers have postponed their tractor march to Thursday which was scheduled for Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal met senior BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday where they discussed and finalised the government's position for the meeting.

Tomar, the minister for Agriculture, and Goyal, the minister for Food and Consumer Affairs, and MoS Commerce and Industry Som Parkash have been representing the Centre at the talks with the farmers. Tomar on Monday said he is hopeful of an early solution to the impasse.

The Centre on Monday invited the 40 protesting farmer unions for the next round of talks on December 30 on all relevant issues to find a "logical solution" with "open mind" to the prolonged impasse over the three new agri laws that was enacted in September.

Thousands of protesting farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at three Delhi border points -- Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri -- for the past 31 days, demanding a repeal of the three farm laws and legal guarantee for MSP.