Farmers-government talks remain inconclusive, Bharat Bandh on Dec 8

New Delhi : The fifth round of talks between farmers and government remained inconclusive on Saturday. The next talks have been scheduled for December 9, 2020.

Meanwhile, the government has reassured farmers that MSP will continue and it is not going to end under any condition. They said, Narendra Modi government is fully committed to farmers and will always be in future.

The talks lasted for five hours during which heated arguments were held with placards of Yes and No. After multiple obstacles, everything remained inconclusive.

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.

The farmers have rolled out a five-point charter of demands in which they have demanded a specific law on MSP, no punishment on stubble burning, repeal of the three farm laws, settlement of objections about proposed Electricity (Amendment) Act, 2020 and written assurance on MSP.

The farmers communicated their message that they are going to hold Bharat Bandh on December 8.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting with farmers, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, “I want to assure farmers that Modi govt was fully committed to you, & will remain so in future. Under PM Modi’s leadership, several agricultural schemes have been implemented. Budget & MSP has also increased.”

Citing the winter season, the minister also urged the farmer union leaders to send back the elderly and children. “The Narendra Modi government is committed for farmers and it will remain so in future. In the past 6 years, many positive developments took: farmers’ income has increased, MSP has increased, government purchase has increased…,” said Tomar.