The government on Thursday said that it s ready for ‘logical resolution’ of all issues raised by farmers and asked the agitating farmers to choose a convenient date and time for the next round of talks.
The government addressed a letter to the 40 representatives of farmers union, a day after farmer unions said they are open to talks if a more concrete proposal is made. Vivek Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has urged the farmers to decide a date and time and to ‘give details of other issues on which you want to negotiate.’
The letter 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.”
In the letter he said that the Centre is committed to reaching logical solutions of the issues raised by you.’
The farmers unions in a letter to the Ministry has said that they wanted the government to repeal the three farm laws as that the agricultural produce will be purchased only at minimum support prices (MSP) or above and that the MSP fixed with C2+50% formula as per the National Farmers’ Commission recommendation.
Responding to the MSP, the letter said that the farm laws had no connection with the price regime nor there would be any impact on procurement of farm produce at the fixed rates.
In the letter Vivek Aggarwal, Joint Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture said that the farmer union leaders and representatives have been assured and 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.”
The letter has come at a time when Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s on December 23 in a letter informed the government that the farmer unions are ready for talks and asked it to send a ‘concrete proposal in writing instead repeating rejected proposals around meaningless amendments.’
The Central government had sent a letter to the farmer unions on December 20 asking them to specify their concerns on the earlier proposed amendments on the new farms laws. The letter had said that the government had proposed to make necessary amendments on at least seven issues, including the MSP and giving a ‘written assurance.’
Meanwhile, the Congress delegation led by senior leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday had submitted a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking his intervention in the issue.
Five rounds of talks between the government and the agitating farmers and they have failed to end the deadlock as the farmers want the government to repeal the three farm laws. Thousands of farmers who have braved the cold, water canons, police barricades and tear gas have been protesting against the three farm bills at the Delhi borders for nearly a month.