Amid the impasse over the demands of the farmers, Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday said that some Union Ministers met the protesting farmers in Chandigarh and had a positive discussion.
"Some Ministers of Central government went to Chandigarh and met them (farmers) and there were discussions happened for hours. There were positive discussions. In the future also whenever it is required, we are ready to hold talks," Anurag Thakur told ANI.
The Union Minister said that the government is trying to make sure that there is no violence and loss of money and lives.
"We increased the MSP of sugar cane from Rs 315 to Rs 340 per quintal. We are taking every step to double the income of farmers. We implemented the report of scientist MS Swaminathan. During the Congress regime in 2013-14, farmers got Rs 7,30,000 crore from banks, but last year we gave more than Rs 20 lakh crore, which is 3 times more," Thakur said.
"Modi govt has taken every decision in the favour of farmers, and we will keep doing so...those people who ruled the nation for over 60 years and did nothing, we shouldn't be compared with them," he added.
Anurag Thakur's statement comes a day after a farmer was killed and about 12 police personnel were injured in clashes at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border on Wednesday as the farmers tried to resume the march to New Delhi.
The incident took place when some protesting farmers were trying to head towards barricades. 21-year-old Subhkaran Singh, hailing from Bathinda district, died at Khanauri on the Sangrur-Jind border.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Arjun Munda said that the government is continuously working and dedicated towards the welfare of the farmers.
"The Government of India is continuously working and dedicated towards the welfare of the farmers. Just yesterday, in the case of farmers, the fair and remunerative price of sugarcane was fixed at Rs 340 per quintal. We are dedicated to the farmers and are working under the leadership of PM Modi," he added.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which spearheaded an agitation in 2020-21 against three farm laws that have since been repealed, held a meeting in Chandigarh on Thursday to discuss the situation at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana.
Several SKM leaders from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and other states have assembled here for the meeting.Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal) general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal said the SKM will discuss what happened at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points on Wednesday.