NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing farmer protests at the Delhi-Haryana border points, a representative of the protesting farmers on Monday said they have "rejected the conditional invitation of Modiji" to hold talks if the farmers shift their protest site to the Burari ground in New Delhi.
"We couldn't have a meeting with farmers' organisations from all the states. We could only have it with 30 organisations from Punjab. We rejected the conditional invitation of Modiji," Jagmohan Singh, general secretary, Bharti Kisan Union (Dakaunda) said at a press conference at Singhu Border (Delhi-Haryana) today.
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This comes as thousands of farmers have gathered at the border of the national capital to protest against the farm laws recently enacted by the Central government. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had, on November 28, announced that the Centre is willing to discuss all of the farmers' issues.
Shah had also assured the farmers that they are ready to hold discussions before December 3, when a meeting was called by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar if they shift their protest to a structured place and vacate roads and highways, where they have been protesting.
Another farmers' union representative told a press conference today that the laws made by the Centre were in the interest of corporates and farmers were being exploited in the process.
"The Constitution provides for rule of the people, by the people and for the people. But now it has become the rule of the corporates, by the corporates and for the corporates. Laws are being made for corporates and people are being exploited," Gurnam Singh, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Haryana) president, said.
The farmers have been protesting against The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 at the Singhu and Tikri border points for days now.
Around 32 farmer organisations, mostly from Punjab, and a few farmers from Gujarat and Maharashtra as well managed to reach Delhi on Friday and assembled at the border areas to continue their protest.
Meanwhile, Delhi police said they are capable of facing any situation in the ongoing protests.
"There is an adequate police force present. We are ready to face any situation. We have requested them to shift to the allotted protest site in Burari," Delhi Police Commissioner SN Srivastava told the media today.