Protesting farmers' unions have rejected the government's proposal to suspend the three contentious laws for 18 months and said they want a 'complete' repeal of the three legislations.
The government, during their tenth round of negotiation with the agitating farmer leaders, proposed to suspend the three farm laws for 1-1.5 years (18 months) and set up a joint committee to find an amicable solution in the interest of the farming community.
Farmers have firmly said that they will not go back to their homes until the government accepts their demand to repeal the three contentious farm laws.
On Friday, January 22, farmers and government will again meet for the 11th time on the new proposal.
Before the meeting, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar met senior BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, the meeting between the protesting unions and police over the January 26 tractor rally remained inconclusive on Thursday as the farmers are adament to take it out on Delhi's busy Outer Ring Road.
In the meeting held with the police officials, police requested farmers to not conduct the parade in Delhi while the farmers restated their plan about doing the parade.
The three laws have already been stayed by the Supreme Court on January 11 till further orders, and the apex court also formed a committee of experts to resolve the deadlock. The panel has been asked by the apex court to submit its report within two months after consulting all stakeholders.
The court-appointed panel on Thursday started its consultation process and interacted with 10 farmer organisations from eight states, including Uttar Pradesh.
Enacted in September last year, the three laws have been projected by the Central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.
However, the protesting farmers have expressed their apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of MSP (minimum support price) and do away with the "mandi" (wholesale market) system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.