'Give us date and time': Centre tells farmers it's open for talks on all issues

Sources said that the farmers are likely to again reject this letter as they might term it a delaying tactic by the government.
Farmers gesture during their ongoing protest against the new farm sector reform laws, at the Singhu border in Delhi on Wednesday. (Photo | Parveen Negi/EPS)
Farmers gesture during their ongoing protest against the new farm sector reform laws, at the Singhu border in Delhi on Wednesday. (Photo | Parveen Negi/EPS)

CHANDIGARH: A day after the farmer unions asked it to send a concrete proposal for talks, the centre on Thursday threw the ball back in the farmers’ court asking them to give the details of issues on which they want to have parleys. 

The Centre also asked the farmers' unions to give it a date and time saying that it was open for talks on all issues. 

A two-page letter written to all the 40 farmer unions by Joint Secretary in the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry Vivek Aggarwal stated, "I request you again that the government with a clear intent and open mind had been holding parleys with you to end the agitation. The government is ready to talk again, tell us time and date for the talks and give us details of issues on which you feel talks should be held which will be held at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi with the group of ministers."

"The government is once again retreating that is ready to solve the issues raised by all the protesting farmer unions. In the letter issued by the government on December 20, it had in that letter also then retreated that the government is ready to talk with the protesting farmers' unions with a positive attitude. It is important for the union government to have talks with all the farmers' unions of the country. 

"To listen to all the farmers unions of the country is the responsibility of the government which it cannot run from.  The government has been talking with the farmers' unions under the  Sanyukt Morcha with an open mind and also desires to talk with you in the future as per your convince," added the letter and also talks of a written assurance on Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Sources said that the farmers are likely to again reject this letter as they might term it a delaying tactic by the government. The reason again the government has asked them to specify time and date. Same as the last time as it then
also did not mention either time or place for the meeting, leaving it farmers to take the call on the issue.

"The farmer unions will soon hold another meeting on the latest letter sent by the government and give an appropriate reply. The government is just dilly-dialing the issue it should have given a concrete proposal in the letter it sent today despite we have asked for the same in our yesterday’s letter. But again it is beating around the bush. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should now call the farmers with an open mind as we are sitting on the borders of Delhi. Heis trying to find and talk to a 'select’ few farmers at Kutch in Gujarat," says Harinder Singh Lakowal, General Secretary of Bhartiya Kisan Union, Punjab (Lakhowal Group).

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