The ninth round of talks between protesting farmer unions and three central ministers to break the over-a-month-long deadlock on the three new agri laws ends. 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, held the talks with the representatives of around 40 farmer unions at the Vigyan Bhawan.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday led the party's protest in the national capital in support of the agitating farmers, and said his party will not relent till the new farm laws are repealed. He was accompanied by AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other leaders of the Delhi Congress at the protest outside the Delhi LG's residence as part of the countrywide agitation.
"These laws are not to help farmers, but to finish them. These laws are aimed at helping corporates like Ambani and Adani instead," he charged and added, "That is why we are standing in favour of the farmers". "The BJP government will have to take these black laws back. Till the time these laws are repealed, Congress party will not relent," he told the protesting Congressmen.
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, are protesting at various border points of Delhi for over a month now against the three laws.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Thursday, "The government is ready to hold talks with farmers' leaders with an open mind."
Meanwhile, the protesting farmer leaders said they will attend the ninth round of talks with the government amid indication that it may be last such meeting with the centre, but added that they don't have much hope as they will not settle for anything less than the repeal of the contentious farm laws. Ahead of the meeting, Rakesh Tikait, spokespersons of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BHU) reiterated that to resolve the issues of protesting farmers, the government will have to repeal the three newly passed laws. "Government needs to devise a plan to scrap the three laws and give legal guarantee for minimum support price," said Tikait.
Here are the LIVE Updates of the farmer protests:
Congress workers held protests in Chandigarh today in support of farmers agitating over the new farm laws, with one group facing water cannon as it tried to push past police barricades, reported news agency PTI. The Congress had planned to gherao the Punjab and Haryana Raj Bhavans as part of a nationwide protest called by the party over the new farm laws.
Isha Foundation founder and spiritual guru Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev today said the Centre can convert the contentious farm laws into recommendations and let the state governments decide on necessary amendments depending on requirements of farmers in respective states, reported news agency PTI.
Ninth Round Of Centre-Farmer Talks Start As Congress Protests Against LawsThe ninth round of discussion between farmers demanding repeal of the three agriculture laws and the centre have started in the capital's Vigyan Bhavan in the backdrop of the Supreme Court (SC) staying the laws' enactment "until further orders" and forming a four-member panel to end the deadlock.
The ninth round of talks between Centre and farmers' union over even as the stalemate continues.
Talks between the Centre and the farmers' unions have resumed after the lunch break.
Delhi: The talks between farmer leaders and the government at Vigyan Bhawan temporarily halted for the lunch break. pic.twitter.com/f89neLy284
- ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2021
Government welcomes the Supreme Court order regarding the farmers' agitation. The government will put forth its views before the committee (appointed by the court). We are trying to resolve the issue through dialogue: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar pic.twitter.com/63hqsYCJCK
- ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2021
Delhi: Farmer leaders reach Vigyan Bhawan to hold ninth rounds of talks with the Central government over the new farm laws.
- ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2021
"Govt needs to devise a plan to scrap the three laws and give legal guarantee for MSP," says BKU Spokesperson Rakesh Tikait. pic.twitter.com/U5vBFzf1yB
Delhi: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar reaches Vigyan Bhawan to hold talks with farmer leaders over farm laws. pic.twitter.com/i9nCffmyhO
- ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2021
Since protesting farmers have announced not to appear before the committee, there is no point in being part of it: Bhupinder Singh Mann, Chairman of All India Kisan Coordination Committee, on his decision to recuse himself from 4-member committee appointed by Supreme Court https://t.co/BHhMbiMffi pic.twitter.com/W2cAMr9pkI
- ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2021
