After Parliament gherao call, government says ready to resume talks

Protesting farmers rest in a tent as they continue their protest along a blocked highway at the Gazipur Delhi-UP border on Wednesday. PIC/PTI

The government is ready to resume talks with protesting farmers if they respond to its offer to put the three contentious farm laws on hold for one-and-a-half year and work out the difference during that time through a joint committee, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said Wednesday.

The government and unions representing farmers, who have been camping at Delhi's border for about three months in protest against the three laws that they see will end state procurement of crops at MSP, have held 11 rounds of talks, the last being on January 22. Talks broke after widespread violence during a tractor rally by protesting farmers on January 26.

Tomar said the government is committed towards the interest of farmers and agriculture, and under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it is making efforts to double farmers' income and strengthen the Indian agriculture sector. This comes a day after farmer leader Rakesh Tikait announced the plans for marching to the Parliament with 40 lakh tractors in order to intensify pressure on the central government to withdraw the three farm laws.

Speaking at a farmers' rally in Sikar in Rajasthan, Tikait said, "This time the call will be for Parliament gherao. We will tell them before marching. This time it will not be just 4 lakh tractors but 40 lakh tractors will go there if farm laws are not taken back." Tikait also demanded that a new law should be enacted ensuring minimum support price for farmers. Thousands of farmers are protesting at Delhi borders for around three months, seeking repeal of three new laws and a legal guarantee of the MSP.

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