NEW DELHI: Ahead of the crucial meeting with protesting farmer organisations, Union ministers, including Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to deliberate over proposals likely to be made to the agitating groups, sources said on Saturday.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal were also present in the meeting with the prime minister, they said.
Farmers are scheduled to meet Union ministers for fifth-round of talks on the new farm laws this afternoon after the government conveyed its proposals or concessions which it can offer to them, the sources said.
Earlier, Rajnath Singh and Amt Shah were leading deliberations among Union ministers to resolve the issues raised by the agitating farmers.
Modi's decision to hold deliberations with Union ministers, who have so far been the face of the Centre's efforts to end the farmers' agitation, signifies the importance the Prime Minister has attached to defuse the crisis, the sources said.
This is the first time that Prime Minister Modi has held a meeting with his ministers over the issue.
The fourth-round of talks between the government and agitating farmer unions on Thursday failed to end the standoff over the new farm laws.
Speaking to ANI early this morning, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that government is still hopeful and it is on the discussion table that they will know what more farmers want.
"I am hopeful and will only go by what transpires in the meeting and not on statements given by farmers outside the meeting," he added while responding to farmer leader Baldev Singh Sirsa's statement that even written promise of MSP won't make them stop the agitation against three laws.
As the government is maintaining that there is headway in the discussions and a possibility of finding a solution to end the agitation across Delhi borders, but on the contrary farmers could be heard speaking in different tones.
The protests, the BJP believes are being fuelled by the opposition Congress, which is enabling the farmers to blockade the national capital by cutting of major access routes.
The ministers and farmers are meeting today at 2 pm in the national Capital for yet another round of meetings.
The farmers' agitation in Delhi entered the tenth day today, with a large number of farmers gathered in and around the national capital to protest against the three farm laws.
Meanwhile, a nationwide shutdown has been called by the protesting farmers on Tuesday (December 8).On December 3, the farmers held the fourth round of talks with the Centre and said the government had talked of bringing some amendments to farm laws. In the fourth round of the meeting, farmer leaders suggested the government to hold a special session of the Parliament and sought the abolition of the three farm laws.
"The government will discuss points that emerged at the meeting on Friday and hopes that talks will move towards finality when the next round of discussions are held on Saturday," Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had said.
He reached out to protesting farmers over their demands, saying MSP will not be touched, the government was open to their suggestions for parity between mandis under APMC Act and that outside, for disputes under the new farm laws being adjudged in courts and for registration of traders.
Previously on December 1, during the first meeting with Centre after the agitation reached Delhi, the farmers had refused the tea invitation from the government stating that they are demanding their right from the government and not anything else.
The farmers are 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.
On the other hand, the Left parties on Saturday extended their support to the nationwide strike called by farmers' organisations on December 8.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), Revolutionary Socialist Party and All India Forward Bloc made the announcement in a joint statement.
"The Left parties extend their solidarity with and support to the ongoing massive agitation by Kisan organisations from all over the country against the new Agri laws.
The Left parties extend their support to the call given by them for a Bharat Bandh on December 8," the statement said.
"The Left parties condemn the RSS/BJP's malicious campaign, on preposterous charges, against the struggle of our annadatas to safeguard Indian agriculture and the country's food security," it said.
The statement also said that the Left parties support the farmers demand for the scrapping of the three agri laws and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
"The Left parties appeal to all other political parties and forces who stand with the farmers cause and have demanded the repeal of these laws to extend their support and cooperation to the December 8 bandh call," it said.
(With ANI Inputs)