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Business News/ News / India/  Delhi: Agriculture minister invites farmer unions for talks today at 3 pm
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Delhi: Agriculture minister invites farmer unions for talks today at 3 pm

Citing the onset of winter season and the Covid-19 pandemic, Narendra Singh Tomar says the meeting with the agitating farmers is being held earlier than decided

Farmers gather at the Singhu border during their ongoing 'Delhi Chalo' protest against Centre's new farm laws, in New Delhi (PTI)Premium
Farmers gather at the Singhu border during their ongoing 'Delhi Chalo' protest against Centre's new farm laws, in New Delhi (PTI)

Amid ongoing protests, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar on late Monday night said that the government has invited farmer organisations for talks on Tuesday at 3 pm at the Vigyan Bhawan as the stir by farmers against the agri laws appeared to intensify.

Citing the onset of winter season and the Covid-19 pandemic, Tomar told news agency ANI, "It is decided that the meeting should be held earlier."

"When Farm laws were brought, they caused some misconception among farmers. We held two rounds of talks with farmer leaders -on Oct 14 and Nov 13. At that time too we had urged them to not go for agitation and that the government is ready for talks," Tomar added.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had, on November 28, announced that the Centre is willing to discuss all of the farmers' issues.

Shah had also assured the farmers that they are ready to hold discussions before December 3, when a meeting was called by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar if they shift their protest to a structured place and vacate roads and highways, where they have been protesting.

The farmers, who had on Sunday announced that they would blockade five points of entry into Delhi in coming days while rejecting the Centre's offer to hold talks once they move to the Burari ground, said they have come for a decisive battle and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to listen to their "mann ki baat".

Peaceful protests were underway at both the Singhu and Tikri borders, where farmers had gathered from Punjab and Haryana, for the fifth day. The numbers of farmers at the Ghazipur border swelled,with more joining them from Uttar Pradesh.

Moreover, representative of the protesting farmers on Monday said they have "rejected the conditional invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi "to hold talks if the farmers shift their protest site to the Burari ground in New Delhi."

Experts have warned the ongoing agitation could well be a COVID-19 superspreader but protestors, some in masks and many without them, said the new farm laws pose a greater threat to their survival.

"A protest is a mass gathering and thus from a public health perspective, I would urge protective and preventive behaviour against the spread of coronavirus infection, failing which a superspreading event might set in," cautioned Dr Samiran Panda, head of the Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases division at the Indian Council of Medical Research.

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also appealed to the people of thecity to extend all possible help to the farmers and urged the Centre to hold talks with them at the earliest.

The chief minister wished everyone on the occasion of Gurupurab in a video message.

"On this occasion, I appeal to all Delhiites to do whatever they can for the protesting farmers in all possible ways," he said.





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Published: 30 Nov 2020, 11:47 PM IST
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