Northeast India’s Only English and Hindi Satellite News Channel

Just before talks, govt says hopeful of resolving farmers’ issues

First Published: 8th January, 2021 14:48 IST

Hours before the eighth round of formal talks between the Centre and the farmers’ groups agitating against three recent farm laws, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhury hoped

Hours before the eighth round of formal talks between the Centre and the farmers’ groups agitating against three recent farm laws, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhury hoped that a resolution will come out of Friday’s meeting.

The eighth round of talks between three Union ministers — Narendra Singh Tomar, Piyush Goyal and Som Parkash — and the 40 protesting farmer unions to end the farmers’ agitation is scheduled to begin at the Vigyan Bhawan at 2 pm.

Just before the talks, Union Agriculture Minister Tomar is likely to call on Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the issue, sources said.

Talking to PTI, Choudhury said, “I am hopeful that a resolution will be reached at Friday’s meeting. We could have ended the deadlock by now had the protesting farmer unions discussed the issues raised at the first meeting.”

There was no demand for a repeal of the three farm laws at the first meeting, he added.

Asserting that the new laws enacted by the Centre are in the interest of farmers, Choudhury said the legislations are just a beginning and added that the unions are agitating against the laws under the “influence of arhtiyas (commission agents)”.

“Next, the Pesticide (Management) Bill and the Seed Bill will come. At that time too, farmers can be misguided,” he said.

Asked if the Centre would encourage religious leaders from Punjab to mediate between the government and the protesting farmers, Choudhury said, “We welcome everyone. We want a resolution. If they are ready to talk in that direction, we welcome them.”

Punjab’s Nanaksar Gurdwara head Baba Lakha, a renowned religious leader of the state, met Tomar on Thursday and wished to mediate between the Centre and the protesting farmers.

The last seven rounds of talks between the Centre and the protesting farmers remained inconclusive, although there was some breakthrough at the December 30 meeting when the government conceded to two demands of the agitating farmers pertaining to power subsidy and stubble-burning. PTI

COMMENTS

WE RECOMMEND

Banner
Manipur footballer Elangbam Panthoi Chanu becomes 1st Indian to play in Australian Football League

Footballer Panthoi represents Metro United WFC in the South Australia Women’s National Premier League that began on Thursday.

29th March 2024
Banner
Income Tax Department has issued Congress demand notice of Rs 1700 crore: Sources

The Delhi High Court had earlier this week dismissed the party's plea, challenging Income Tax Department's order opening of reassessment proceedings against it for 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21.

29th March 2024
Banner
“Always been glorious right-wing personality”: Kangana Ranaut opens up on donning a hat of politician

Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday opened about her new role as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections

28th March 2024
Banner
About 80,000 leaders, workers from different parties join BJP ahead of Lok Sabha elections

According to party sources, this committee has successfully brought in approximately 80,000 leaders and workers from different parties across the country into the BJP

28th March 2024
Banner
No interim relief to Kejriwal on plea challenging arrest, BJP hits out at AAP leader

The plea stated that the petitioner has been "illegally and arbitrarily arrested" by ED in the evening of March 21.

28th March 2024