Govt-farmers to carry ninth spherical of talks on Friday; Tomar hopeful of constructive dialogue

Image Source : PTI Govt-farmers to carry ninth spherical of talks on Friday; Tomar hopeful of constructive dialogue
The ninth spherical of negotiations between the federal government and protesting farmers will happen on Friday. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar expressed hope that the discussions could be constructive. “The government is ready to hold talks with farmers’ leaders with an open mind,” Tomar stated amid confusion over the destiny of the subsequent spherical of talks, within the wake of the Supreme Court appointing a four-member panel to resolve the deadlock. 

Tomar stated the talks between the federal government and the union representatives will happen as scheduled for 12 pm on January 15. Even because the farmers refused to seem earlier than the court-appointed panel citing its composition, the unions have expressed willingness to attend the scheduled talks with the federal government.

Bhartiya Kisan Union president recuses himself from committee 

Earlier on Thursday, Bhartiya Kisan Union president Bhupinder Singh Mann recused himself from the four-member committee, which has been accused by farmer unions and opposition events as a “pro-government” panel. Mann stated he’s grateful to the apex courtroom for nominating him on the panel however would quit any place to stop farmers’ pursuits from being compromised. 

“As a farmer myself and a union leader, in view of the prevailing sentiments and apprehensions amongst the farm unions and the public in general, I am ready to sacrifice any position offered or given to me so as to not compromise the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country. I am recusing myself from the committee and I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab,” Mann stated in a press release.

READ MORE: 90 per cent farmers do not assist agitation after Supreme Court’s choice to carry farm legal guidelines

Supreme Court’s keep on implementation of farm legal guidelines

On Tuesday, the highest courtroom had stayed the implementation of the three farm legal guidelines until additional orders and introduced the formation of a committee to listen to the grievances of the farmers and the opinion of the federal government. 

Apart from Mann, Shetkari Sanghatana (Maharashtra) president Anil Ghanwat, International Food Policy Research Institute’s Pramod Kumar Joshi and agriculture economist Ashok Gulati have been appointed on the panel.

The level of rivalry

Thousands of farmers, primarily from Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, have been tenting on the border of Delhi for a number of weeks, demanding the repeal of the legal guidelines they are saying will result in the weakening of the minimal assist value (MSP) system.

The three contentious legal guidelines are the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.

READ MORE: Govt suppressing farmers and serving to handful of companies: Rahul Gandhi

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