BackGovt writes to agitating farmers again, says not logical to discuss any new MSP-related demand
In a letter to 40 union leaders, Union Agriculture Ministry Joint Secretary Vivek Aggarwal said the Centre is 'committed to reaching logical solutions of the issues raised by you'
PremiumThe government on Thursday wrote another open letter to the agitating farmers, saying to choose a convenient date and time for the next round of talks so that the ongoing agitation over the newly passed agri farms, which has now entered the 29th day, could end at the earliest.
In a letter to 40 union leaders, Union Agriculture Ministry Joint Secretary Vivek 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).".
He also said that the Centre is "committed to reaching logical solutions of the issues raised by you."
Also Read | Inside the farmer disquiet at Delhiās doorstep
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.
Aggarwal's letter has come in response to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha's December 23 letter, through which it had informed the government that the farmer unions are ready for talks but asked it to send a "concrete proposal in writing instead repeating rejected proposals around meaningless amendments."
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 over three weeks now.
The Centre had earlier on 20 December sent an open letter to farmer unions asking them to specify their concerns over its earlier proposal of amendments in the new agri laws. The earlier letter said that in its draft proposal sent on December 9, the government had proposed to make necessary amendments on at least seven issues, including providing a "written assurance" to the farmers that the existing minimum support price (MSP) system would continue.
But the unions had rejected the proposal in an email sent by Krantikari Kisan Union state president Darshan Pal on December 16.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police detained Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other party leaders today for taking out a march to Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet President Ram Nath Kovind and submit a memorandum containing two crore signatures seeking his intervention in farm laws issue.
Moreover, on Wednesday, which was also 'Kisan Diwas' (National Farmers' Day), the birth anniversary of former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, the farmers asserted that the ball is in the Centre's court and asked it to come up with a new concrete proposal for resumption of talks, even as Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar underscored that dialogue was the only way for a solution and the government was committed to reforms in the farm sector.
As the stalemate between the government and the protesters continued without any signs of a breakthrough, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to interact on Friday with farmers from six states during which they will share their experience on various initiatives taken by the Centre, in yet another outreach attempt.
Talks between farmers' and the government till date has remained inconclusive with scores of farmers sitting at various borders across Delhi as a mark of protest against new farm laws.
With agency inputs
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