In a move to end farmers’ protest, the next round of talks between the Government and the agitating farmer unions is likely to be held soon.
Union Minister Som Prakash, who is among the Government representatives negotiating with farmers protesting against the three new farm laws, indicated that efforts are on to call next round of meeting with leaders of the agitation to end the stalemate.
Sources said the Government and representatives of farmer unions are in touch to hold the next round of talks after the nationwide protest on December 14.
According to sources, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said if the Government gives another proposal for talks, our committee will decide on it.
Sources said the Government is in touch with Sanyukt Kisan Morcha’s leaders and other moderate farmers leaders to chalk out a strategy to end the stalemate.
Earlier, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, who met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Food, Railways and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday to discuss the farmers’ protest, has stated that he was hopeful that the logjam would end in the next 24 to 48 hours.
Chautala’s Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) counts farmers as an important constituency and has faced prickly questions about his alliance with the BJP amid the mounting protests.
Earlier, a delegation of 29 farmers led by BKU (Mann) leader Guni Prakash from Haryana and a delegation of 90 farmers’ leaders from Uttarakhand meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was also the part of the back door channel diplomacy.
According to farmers’ leaders, differences erupted among the farmer unions.
After Haryana, a delegation of 90 farmers from Uttarakhand met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar at his residence and extending their support to new farm laws enacted by Parliament.
The agitating farmers have claimed members of these delegations are not genuine farmers and the Government has propped them up to create confusions.
In another development National Working Group of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee disassociates itself from a statement made to media by VM Singh.
The statement was neither authorised by AIKSCC nor did it follow protocols of decision making by working group.
The working group of AIKSCC reiterated that it firmly stands with the demands of the farmer organisations agitating in unison for the repeal of 3 anti-farmer acts and legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price. Sardar VM Singh has stated that AIKSCC was ready to talk to the Government on the issue of legal guarantee of MSP.
The last six rounds of talks between the Centre and 40 farmers’ union leaders have remained inconclusive. The Government has sent a draft proposal to the farmer leaders for consideration. But the farmer leaders have rejected the Government’s proposal and intensified their protest.