Farmers protest today: Procurement at minimum support price will continue, govt assures protesters

Farmers protest today: The fifth round of parleys between the government and farmer leaders remained inconclusive on Saturday with both sides adamant on their stand over the three contentious farm laws. The next meet is scheduled on December 9 with farmers giving a `Bharat Bandh` call on December 8.

Heated arguments and written placards in "Yes or No" were raised in the five-hour meeting that began at 2 p.m. at Vigyan Bhawan in Central Delhi. After multiple obstacles, the talks finally ended with no conclusion as the farmers stuck to their first and major demand to repeal the three farms laws enacted in September during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

What Agri Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said after meeting:

• Govt assured farmers procurement at minimum support price will continue; Mandis will be strengthened
• We wanted some firm suggestions from farmer leaders, but couldn't get those; We will meet again on Dec 9
• Request farmer unions to send elderly, women and children back to their homes from protest due to cold weather
• I want to assure farmers that Modi govt remains committed to farmers' interests and will remain so
• I thank unions for maintaining discipline in their agitation; We are hopeful of resolution with their cooperation
• Agitating farmers should leave path of protest and engage in dialogue; We are ready to listen to all their concerns

However, as the government could not put up a satisfactory solution to the demands of 40 farmer union leaders, who took part in the meeting, the delegation clearly communicated that the protest will continue if the government doesn`t repeal the three laws which they said are "anti-farmer".

While the government was agreeable to amendments to The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, farmers were pushing for the scrapping of these laws.

Farmer leaders communicated that they will hold "Bharat Bandh" on December 8 as their demands haven`t been met.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State Som Prakash and Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal are also present in the meeting, like in the previous rounds of talks on December 1 and 3 which were also remained inconclusive.

The farmers had put out a five-point charter of demands that include framing of a specific law on MSP, no punishment for stubble-burning, repeal of the three farm laws, settlement of objections about proposed Electricity (Amendment) Act, 2020 and written assurance on MSP.

The farmer union representatives in earlier talks had rejected the government`s argument that the three farm laws were in the interest of farmers, saying the laws will only benefit big business and corporate houses.

Thousands of protesters have blocked Delhi borders at five points connecting it to Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

The story has been taken from a news agency