Govt-farmers deadlock continues over farm laws, next meeting on January 8
Team News Riveting
New Delhi, January 4
The eighth round of meeting between the Centre and farmers’ representatives held at Vigyan Bhawan on Monday noon concluded without any substantial outcome.
The next round of talks will be held on January 8 at 2 pm.
The farmers’ representatives demanded government to repeal 3 farm laws in the meeting today. Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Piyush Goyal and Som Parkash along with government officials and representatives of farmers attended the meeting.
A two-minute silence was also observed as a mark of respect for the farmers who died during the ongoing protest.
After the meeting, Rakesh Tikait, Spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) said that farmers, who are protesting for over a month against three agriculture laws at different borders of the national capital will not go back until the Acts are repealed.
“Discussion took place on our demands — repeal of the three laws and MSP… Kannon wapasi nahi, to ghar wapasi nahi (We will not go home until the laws are withdrawn),” Tikait told a news agency.
Earlier, Tikait claimed that 60 farmers have so far lost their lives during the ongoing agitation. He further said that one farmer is dying every 16 hours and it is the responsibility of the government to give an answer.
“We wanted farmer unions to discuss three laws clause-wise. We could not reach any solution as farmer union remained adamant on the repeal of the laws,” Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said.
Farmers have been protesting at the gates of Delhi since November 26 against the newly enacted farm laws — 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.
