Govt writes to farmers, says open for talks; farmers call it ‘delaying tactic’

A day after farmer unions demanded a concrete proposal for talks, the Centre on Thursday wrote to them again and reiterated that it was open for talks on all issues.

However, just like last time, the letter by Joint Secretary Vivek Aggarwal did not mention either time or place for the meeting, leaving it farmers to take the call on the matter.

Amid the ongoing stir, farmers again rejected the proposal, calling it a delaying tactic by the government and asked it to specify time and place.

Sources say the unions will hold another meeting on the latest move of the government which among other issues talks of a written assurance on MSP.

Notably, this time the letter was addressed to Samyukt Kisan Morcha and not Darshan Pal like an earlier letter by Aggarwal.

Braving the harsh cold, thousands of agitating farmers at Delhi borders remained steadfast in their demands to repeal the Centre’s three new farm laws.

While the Centre is firm the laws will not be scrapped and has proposed amendments, farmer ‘jathebandis’ and unions continue to be equally firm on their stance. Demanding a total repeal of the laws, they are also accusing the government of “maligning” their agitation.

TNS