New Delhi: The seventh round of talks between protesting unions and three central ministers got underway here Monday afternoon. The talks are being held to resolve an over-a-month-long impasse over farmers’ agitation against three farm laws. However, till now the talks haven’t made much headway. The representatives of the farmers unions stuck to their demand for the repeal of the three farm laws.
The two sides took a lunch break after about one hour of talks. Sources said the government also remained firm on not repealing the laws. It is believed to have suggested a panel to take the matter forward.
In the first hour of talks, the two sides were yet to discuss another key demand of farmers. That is for a legal guarantee to the Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement system.
The representatives of protesting farmers had their own food, arranged from langar (community kitchen). However, unlike the last round of talks December 30, the ministers did not join the union leaders for the langar food. They were seen having their own discussion separately during the break, which lasted for more than one-and-half hours.
The two sides got back together to resume their discussions at around 5.15 pm.
Also read: Farmers unions ready to attend talks, but want discussion on repeal of farm laws
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait is one those participating in the meeting. He told this agency over the phone during the break that the first hour of discussion remained focussed on the three laws. “Our demand is the repeal of the laws. We will not agree to any alternatives such as the setting of the committee,” Tikait asserted.
Tikait was asked if there could be a concrete outcome from the meeting. “I don’t think so. They have to take back the laws for us to end the protest and go back to our homes,” he added.
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, are protesting at various Delhi borders for over a month against the three laws. They have stayed put despite heavy rains and waterlogging at protest sites over the last couple of days. The severe cold weather conditions prevailing in and around the national capital have not affected them.
Another union representative, Kavitha Kurungati of Mahila Kisan Adhikar Manch, said, “The standoff continues. The government is talking about benefits of the laws and we are asking for the repeal of those laws.” No discussion has yet happened on the MSP, she said about the first hour of the meeting.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Railways, Commerce and Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, who is an MP from Punjab, are holding the talks with the representatives of 41 farmer unions at the Vigyan Bhawan.
