New Delhi: Farmer leaders said there was no breakthrough in the first session as both sides were stuck on their stated positions vis-a-vis the three farm laws and there was little hope of any outcome other than fixing the date for the 11th round.
Farmer leaders also raised the issue of NIA notices being served to some farmers, alleging it was being done just to harass those supporting the agitation, to which the government representatives said they will look into the matter.
As the two sides took a break, where farmer leaders had langar food, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) general secretary Yudhvir Singh told PTI, “The stalemate is continuing over the three laws and I don’t think any solution will emerge from today’s meeting. Both sides are adamant on their position.”
He said the government is insisting on first discussing the three laws and wants to take up the MSP (Minimum Support Price) matter later.
“We will insist on a discussion on MSP after the tea break and also try to seek the next date for meeting before January 26,” Singh said.
Another farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said, “The government is not ready to repeal the three laws and farmers are not ready for amendments. The government doesn’t want to discuss MSP.”
“No solution will emerge from today’s meeting. We will meet again on the next date,” he said.
Tikait also said the union leaders raised the NIA (National Investigation Agency) issue in the meeting, to which the ministers said they will look into it.
The meeting began at around 2.45 pm with the three ministers greeting farmer leaders on the occasion of Gurupurab.
“The government offered to carry out some amendments, but farmer leaders maintained they do not want anything less than a complete repeal of the laws,” Tikait said.
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, are holding the talks with the representatives of around 40 farmer unions at the Vigyan Bhawan here.
