New Delhi: The stalemate between agitating farmers and the Centre continues.
The latest meeting, a four-hour session on Saturday which saw three Union ministers deliberating with a group of farmers’ leaders, was inconclusive as well and both parties agreed to meet again on December 9.
Some of the farmers’ representatives were quoted by TV channels as saying that they stuck to their demand of withdrawal of the contentious farm bills, while the government was keen on certain amendments to meet the farmers’ demands.
Hours ahead of Saturday’s talks with farmers’ leaders, Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence to chalk out the government’s strategy.
Agriculture minister Tomar, Railways minister Piyush Goyal along with Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, an MP from Punjab, then went to Vigyan Bhawan to resume their effort to find a solution. And though some middle path was reported, the discussion hit a wall at the end of the day as the farmers were stern in their demand of a complete withdrawal of all the three laws.
The Bharat Bandh on December 8 will go on as announced, Bharatiya Kisan Union president Rakesh Tikait said after the meeting.
Send children & senior citizens home: Minister
During the meeting, Agriculture Minister Tomar requested the farmers’ leaders to send home senior citizens and children who are taking part in the protest at various points of Delhi border.
“I appeal to all of you to kindly ask senior citizens and children, at the protest site, to go home,” ANI quoted Tomar as saying.
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