New Delhi: Farmer unions told the government Friday they want a complete repeal of three contentious farm laws. However, the Centre once more asked them to reconsider its proposal for putting the Acts on hold for 12-18 months. This was the 11th round of talks between the farmer unions and the government to resolve the nearly-two-month long deadlock.
The last round of meeting was held Wednesday. In it the government had offered to put on hold the three laws and set up a joint committee to find solutions. However, after internal consultations Thursday, the farmer unions decided to reject the offer. They stuck to their two major demands – the repeal of the three laws and a legal guarantee of the minimum support price (MSP).
“We told the government that we will not agree to anything other than the repeal of the laws. But the minister asked us to discuss separately again and rethink on the matter and convey the decision,” farmer leader Darshan Pal told this agency during a break after the first session.
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said: “We conveyed our position clearly to the government that we want a repeal of the laws and not a suspension. The minister (Narendra Singh Tomar) asked us to reconsider our decision.”
Tikait said the farmer leaders are discussing internally on this issue. “After the lunch break, we will convey our decision,” informed Tikait.
The 11th round of talks between protesting farmer unions and three central ministers began at around 1.00pm. However, not much headway was visible in the first two hours of the meeting.
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.