Centre Calls For Talks With Farmers Today Citing Coronavirus, Winter

Picture courtesy: Hindustan Times

New Delhi: The Centre has called for talks with farmers on Tuesday — three days ahead of the scheduled date of December 3, according to NDTV.

This was warranted after hundreds of farmers trickled in from Punjab at borders on both sides of Delhi.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar made the announcement citing cold and coronavirus with no preconditions attached. The protesters have threatened to block five entry points to Delhi.

Earlier on Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah met Tomar for the second time in the last 24 hours following protesting farmers’ refusal to shift protest venue.

“On November 13, we had decided we will meet on December 3, but farmers are in a mood to protest,” Narendra Tomar was quoted as saying by NDTV. “It is cold and there is coronavirus. Hence we invite the kisan union heads to Vigyan Bhawan on December 1 at 3 pm. We request you to leave the protest and find a solution through discussion,” Tomar added.

Thousands of farmers over the last five days braved water cannons, tear gas and barricades of the Haryana police to reach Delhi borders with some of them managing to enter the city.