Farmers protest at Singhu border. (Express Photo: Praveen Khanna)Home Minister Amit Shah or Defence Minister Rajnath Singh or both may be fielded at a “later stage” of negotiations with the farmer union leaders if the government senses any climbdown by the farmers on the offers the government has made so far, sources said on Sunday.
“The idea was to bring down the temperature with the first round of talks – we were quite aware that it would go on for several rounds – and find common ground so that seniors could step in. However, the farmers have not yet shown any sign of yielding,” said a senior BJP leader. “We have not given up hope that both the government and the farmers can find a middle path.”
With next round of talks with the farmers scheduled on December 9, the government is ready for a long haul as a solution to the deadlock “can only be found through discussions”, said a top government official. There is “no question of repealing” the three laws against which farmers are protesting but “all other options” are open as the government discusses the range of issues flagged by farmer leaders, the official told The Indian Express.
Meanwhile, as many as 15 opposition parties across India have lend support to the December 8 Bharat Bandh call by the farmers to protest against the three contentious ordinances. This coalition is being seen as a renewed attempt by the beleaguered political opposition to push the NDA to concede on the three farm laws it had passed in September ignoring calls for more discussion and scrutiny.