CHANDIGARH: Thirty protesting Punjab farmers’ bodies on Tuesday decided to hold talks with the Centre over the controversial farm laws in New Delhi on Wednesday. They, however, continue their ‘rail roko’ protest and called for a nationwide ‘chakka jam’ for six hours on November 5.
The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), meanwhile, announced that protesting farmers in BJP-ruled Haryana will burn the effigies of PM Narendra Modi on Dussehra this year.
The decision to attend the meeting was taken by representatives of 29 farmers’ organisations at a meeting in Chandigarh. The BKU (Ugrahan), which did not attend the meeting, has also decided to participate in the meeting called by the Centre in New Delhi. A seven-member committee has been constituted that will hold talks with the government.
After the meeting, president of BKU (Rajewal Group) Balbir Singh Rajewal said: “We have accepted the offer of the Centre as this time they have invited to discuss the issue. Whereas the last time, they had said that they would tell us about benefits of the laws.
We do not want to give them any excuse. We will go there.’’ He said the ‘rail roko’ agitation in Punjab will continue and the final decision on this will be taken at a meeting on October 15. Meanwhile, the Haryana Police registered a case against Gurnam Singh Chaduni, state president of BKU, for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the prime minister.
Laws can make entrepreneurs out of farmers: Modi
Continuing with defence of the farm laws, PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the reforms have the potential to make entrepreneurs out of the farmers. Releasing an autobiography of Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, Modi said the Maharashtra leader always endeavoured to solve the problems in villages such as drinking and irrigation water. “Under the PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, work was done rapidly to complete 26 projects in Maharashtra, which were stuck for several years. Out of these, nine projects have already been completed,” the PM said in a video address.