Government assured farmers that procurement at minimum support price will continue and that mandis will be strengthened, said Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday after the meeting with farmers concluded.
“We wanted some firm suggestions from farmer leaders, but couldn’t get those; We will meet again on 9 December,” said Tomar.
The government on Saturday proposed to hold another meeting on December 9 with representatives of protesting farmers, as their fifth round of talks ended in a deadlock with the farmers’ group going on a ‘maun vrat’ (vow of silence) seeking a clear ‘yes or no’ answer to their demand of repealing three farm laws.
“We don’t intend to affect the mandi in the states, they are not affected by the law either. Government is ready to do anything in its power to further strengthen APMC. If anyone has any misconception regarding APMCs, then government is absolutely ready to clarify it,” Tomar added.
“We have said that the MSP will continue, there is no threat to it. It is baseless to doubt this. Still, if someone is suspicious then the government is ready to resolve it,” he further said.
Tomar requested farmer unions to send elderly, women and children back to their homes from protest due to cold weather.
As their meeting with three union ministers, including Tomar, Piyush Goyal and Som Parkash, continued for more than four hours, farmer leaders told the government to reply in “black and white” that whether it will repeal the laws or not.
Gurlabh Singh Mahal, legal advisor to Punjab Kisan Union, said the farmer leaders wanted the government to answer in ‘Yes or No’ and decided to go on a ‘maun vrat’ after the government did not reply to their pinpointed demand.
“I want to assure farmers that Modi govt remains committed to farmers’ interests and will remain so. I thank unions for maintaining discipline in their agitation. We are hopeful of resolution with their cooperation,” he said.
“Agitating farmers should leave path of protest and engage in dialogue. We are ready to listen to all their concerns,” the union minister added.
Thousands of farmers have been protesting on various borders of the national capital since November 26, seeking repeal of three farm laws enacted in September.
