The farmer unions protesting against the three farm laws on Saturday proposed holding the next round of talks with the government on December 29.
Making the announcement at the joint press conference at Singhu border, Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav said the government has asked for talks with farmer unions.
“We are making this proposal on the behalf of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha after talking to all organisations that talks between representatives of farmers and the central government should be held on December 29 at 11 am,” he said.
“The first two points in our agenda for talks are- modalities to repeal the three farm laws, and mechanism and procedure to bring a law for providing a legal guarantee on MSP,” Yadav added.
He said there was “letter diplomacy” and the central government has written to them to hold talks.
“Letter diplomacy is going on. We reply to the letters sent by the central government in about two days and the government replies to our letter within hours. Within a few hours of our last letter, Joint Secretary of Agriculture Ministry wrote to us and proposed talks. So, we have decided to go for talks,” he said.
Joint Secretary in Agriculture Ministry Vivek Agarwal had written a letter to farmer unions on December 24 urging them to decide the date and time for the next round of talks.
He had said in the letter that the government is committed to “reach logical solutions” on issues raised by farmer unions and has an “open mind”.
The Prime Minister, who addressed an event on Friday to release next installment under PM-KISAN scheme, had said that the central government is ready for discussions to address apprehensions concerning the farm laws at any time.
The farmer unions had on December 23 rejected the government proposal for talks, urging it not to repeat the “meaningless amendments” which have been rejected before and to come up with a concrete proposal in writing.
The agitation by farmers on the borders of the national capital entered its 31st day on Saturday. Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava visited Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border) where farmers are protesting against the Centre’s farm laws.
The farmers are protesting against Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. They are demanding the repeal of the three laws.
The farmer unions have held five rounds of talks with the government and attended a meeting called by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. (ANI)