The central government on Monday, 28 December invited the 40 protesting farmer unions for a meeting to resume talks on the Modi-government’s contentious agriculture laws on 30 December at Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan.
The letter comes a day after the farmers agreed to talks after days of refusing, and asked for the next round with the Centre to be on 29 December.
In the letter, agriculture Secretary Sanjay Aggarwal wrote to the unions, “The government is also committed to finding a logical solution on all relevant issues with a clear intention and an open mind.”
Farmers’ Agenda for the Talks
Earlier, the unions had also suggested an agenda for the talks, which included modalities to be adopted for the repeal of the three acts, mechanisms to be adopted to make remunerative MSP recommended by the National Farmers' Commission into a legally guaranteed entitlement for all farmers and all agricultural commodities, amendments to be made and notified in the ‘Commission for the Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance, 2020’ and changes to be made in the draft Electricity Amendment Bill 2020.
The farmers had urged the government to “not distort their position as if they were asking for amendments to these acts,” reiterating their demand for a complete revocation of the farm laws.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday, in a bid to defend the farm laws, said: “During UPA govt, Manmohan Singh ji & Sharad Pawar ji wanted to bring farm laws but they could not stand pressure and influence. We're fortunate that today Modi ji is our PM who works selflessly for development of country and welfare of people.”
Farmers in and around the national capital have been protesting the new farm laws for over a month, and five rounds of formal talks have already taken place between them and the government.
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