Govt and farmers ninth round of talks to take place as scheduled on January 15

Photo Credits: PTI

The government and the farmers to have the ninth round of talks for negotiation over the three farm laws passed by the Centre as scheduled on Friday, January 15 and the Centre expects positive discussions, revealed Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday.

Tomar told the reporters, “The government is ready to hold talks with farmers’ leaders with an open mind.”

The Supreme Court on January 11 had appointed a four-member panel for resolving the impasse and a key member from the committee subsequently iterated that the talks between the government and union representatives will be held at 12 pm on January 15.

The farmer unions have been maintaining about being willing to attend the round of talks though they had said they were not okay with appearing prior to the court-appointed panel.

Bhartiya Kisan Union president Bhupinder Singh Mann said he is recusing himself  from the appointed four – member committee.

Mann said in a statement, “As a farmer myself and a union leader, in view of the prevailing sentiments and apprehensions amongst the farm unions and the public in general, I am ready to sacrifice any position offered or given to me so as to not compromise the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country.”

Mann further added, “I am recusing myself from the committee and I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab.”

Thousands of farmers, particularly from Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh have been protesting along the borders of New Delhi from November 26 demanding for repealing the three controversial farm laws.

• Melukote – Vairamudi Festival – 2022
• Bengaluru metro to function on weekdays, closed on weekends from July 1
• India provides reciprocal exemption of EU Digital COVID Certificate to include Covishield, Covaxin
• PM Modi will address the Digital India beneficiaries at 11 am tomorrow
• Pvt hospitals will obtain Covid vaccine doses via CoWIN starting from July 1