A day after the farmer unions remained resolute in seeking repeal of farm laws and asked the Government to send a concrete proposal for talks, the Centre on Thursday threw the ball back in the farmers’ court and invited them for talks.
The Centre asked them to give the details of issues on which they want to have parleys. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has asked the farmer unions to give it a date and time for talks saying it is open to discuss all issues.
Joint Secretary of the Ministry and CEO PM-KISAN Vivek Aggarwal had written to 40 farmer leaders on Thursday reiterating the Government’s commitment to reach “logical solutions”.
He said the Government is ready to discuss whatever the farmer unions want in addition to all the issues which were on table during earlier rounds of talks. The Government has made it clear that it would not be “logical” to include in the agenda any new demand related to minimum support price (MSP), which is out of the purview of three new farm laws.
In a three-page letter, Aggarwal said, “I again request you that the Government has been discussing all issues with open heart and good intention to end the protest and will continue to do so. Kindly suggest a date and time (for the next round of talks).”
“The Government has respectfully and with open mind held several rounds of talks,” the letter further stated. “The talks will be held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi at a ministerial level,” Aggarwal said.
The letter comes a day after farmer unions, protesting for nearly a month now, wrote to the Centre, stating they were open to talks, but the Government must offer a concrete proposal first and no negotiations will take place till the Government “draws up a new agenda”.
This time the letter was addressed to Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which is an umbrella body of 40 farm unions and not to Darshan Pal like an earlier letter by Aggarwal. The letter also talked about various objections raised by farmers, including the MSP and the points discussed between the two sides in five rounds of meetings thus far, including one each on December 1, 3 and 5.
On MSP, Aggarwal said the farm laws have no connection with the price regime nor would have any impact on the procurement of farm produce at the fixed rates. This has been told to the unions in every discussion and it has also been made clear that the Government is ready to give written assurance on MSP, he said.
“Any new demand related to MSP, which is out of the ambit of farm laws, is not logical to include in the talks. As informed earlier, the Government is ready to discuss all the issues raised by farmer unions,” he noted.
“To listen to all farmer unions of the country is the responsibility of the Government which it cannot run away from. The Government has been talking with the farmer unions under the Sanyukt Morcha with an open mind and also desires to talk with you in the future as per your convince,” added the letter.
Aggarwal said it is important to keep all doors open for discussion for the Government. It is the responsibility of the Government to listen to farmer organisations and farmers and the Government cannot deny this, he said.
The previous five rounds of talks between the Government and the unions have failed to break the deadlock with the farmers insisting on repeal of the three laws and camping at various border points of Delhi for nearly a month now.
The Government had earlier written to the farmer unions on Sunday, inviting them for the sixth round of talks as per their convenience.
The anti-farm law protests entered day 29 on Thursday.