Government is ready to talk further with farmers: Tomar about farmers movement

New Delhi: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday advised that farmers should follow COVID-19 protocol in view of the second coronavirus wave and postpone their protest against the controversial farm laws. He also urged them to have discussions with the Central government on the laws.

During a press conference, Narendra Singh Tomar opined that many farmer unions and economists are supporting the agricultural laws but only "some" farmers are protesting against them. He said that the government has already held 11 rounds of discussions with the protesting farmer unions and is ready to have more talks with them.

Providing details about the discussions, the Agricultural Minister said that the Centre had offered to discuss problematic areas and make changes in the laws. However, the farmer unions did not accept the proposal and did not even give a reason, he added.

"The agitation continues even when the govt isn't ready to talk or when the farmer unions don't get a favourable response. Here, the unions decided to continue it anyway," said NS Tomar.

Shifting focus to the alarming second COVID-19 wave in the country, the union minister urged the protesting farmers to return to their homes and discuss their issues with the government in a safe manner.

"I had urged union leaders many times to tell children and older people to go back home, in view of COVID19. Now, the second wave has begun, so farmers and their unions should follow COVID protocol. They should postpone the protest and have discussions with us," added the Agriculture Minister.

Hundreds of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at three border points of Delhi - Singhu, Tikri (along Haryana), and Ghazipur- demanding a repeal of the three laws enacted by the Centre in September last year.

The Centre says the new farm laws will free farmers from middlemen, giving them more options to sell their crops.

The protesting farmers, however, say the laws will weaken the minimum support price (MSP) system and leave them at the mercy of big corporates.