Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar, on Saturday, urged protesting farmer unions to suspend the agitation and come back to negotiation table for talks.
“We have had 11 rounds of dialogue with protesting farmer unions. We are ready for another rounds of talks. I urge them to call off agitation and vacate the roads which is causing immense inconvenience to public,” Tomar told ET on the day farmer unions blocked Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway disrupting traffic on Delhi-Chandigarh route. The unions have also given a call to block KMP-KGP highway on Sunday for 24 hours
Tomar said that majority of farmers and farm experts have appreciated the farm laws, which are set to transform the lives of farmers.
He said that protesting unions should come up with fresh proposal to break the ice and start discussions again.
“The government is ready for a dialogue. We had given them proposal to suspend the three contentious farm laws for one and a half years and set up a joint committee to discuss the legislations and also issues related to minimum support price. But they rejected our proposal and have been continuing with the agitation,” he said.
Tomar said that protesting unions should not continue with the agitation when talks are on and their demands are being discussed.
“No where in the world such thing happens. When government is ready to listen to their demands, unions should not stage agitation. They have their democratic right to protest when their demand are not being heard,” he said.
Showing deep concern for farmers agitating amid fresh wave of Covid-19 and adverse weather conditions, Tomar urged them to return to their homes and start discussions to reach a conclusion.
“During winters also, I had urged protesting unions to send elderly farmers, women and children to homes. But they didn’t heed to my request. I request them to return to their homes,” Tomar said.
“We have had 11 rounds of dialogue with protesting farmer unions. We are ready for another rounds of talks. I urge them to call off agitation and vacate the roads which is causing immense inconvenience to public,” Tomar told ET on the day farmer unions blocked Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway disrupting traffic on Delhi-Chandigarh route. The unions have also given a call to block KMP-KGP highway on Sunday for 24 hours
Tomar said that majority of farmers and farm experts have appreciated the farm laws, which are set to transform the lives of farmers.
He said that protesting unions should come up with fresh proposal to break the ice and start discussions again.
“The government is ready for a dialogue. We had given them proposal to suspend the three contentious farm laws for one and a half years and set up a joint committee to discuss the legislations and also issues related to minimum support price. But they rejected our proposal and have been continuing with the agitation,” he said.
Tomar said that protesting unions should not continue with the agitation when talks are on and their demands are being discussed.
“No where in the world such thing happens. When government is ready to listen to their demands, unions should not stage agitation. They have their democratic right to protest when their demand are not being heard,” he said.
Showing deep concern for farmers agitating amid fresh wave of Covid-19 and adverse weather conditions, Tomar urged them to return to their homes and start discussions to reach a conclusion.
“During winters also, I had urged protesting unions to send elderly farmers, women and children to homes. But they didn’t heed to my request. I request them to return to their homes,” Tomar said.
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10 Comments on this Story
 | Rajeev Goel1 hour ago The middle men aartis and the khalistanis funded agitation has to end some day but not without severe impact to the farmers on strike and the country. Govt must not buckle under pressure. |
 | Johnny Sack2 hours ago why is govt acting leggar begars with bowls. if it was some other agitation all the agitators would have some 200 year draconian law slapped against them and they would be spending few years in jail. why not extend the courtesy meted out to the general indians to the "ann data"? |
 | Kishore Shivani7 hours ago PLEASE STOP PROTESTS BY FARMERS THEY ARE SUPERSPREADERS OF CORONA VIRUS DECLARE NATIONAL HEALTH EMERGENCY AND SEND FARMERS HOME ASAP . |