Farmers Walk Out Of Meeting With Govt Over Union Agriculture Minister's Absence; Tear Copies Of Farm Laws

Farmers Protest: Farmers abruptly left the meeting with the central government as they demanded the presence of Union Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar to discuss their concerns over the Farm Laws 2020.

Photo: ANI

New Delhi: Leaders of 29 farmer unions walked out of a meeting held with the central government on Wednesday over the absence of the Union minister for agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar. The farmers had been invited by the centre to discuss the recently enacted Farm laws.  The meeting was headed by the agriculture secretary, however, the farmers wanted Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar to be present. Angered by his absence, the farmers raised slogans inside the ministry and went on tear the copies of the debated farm laws outside Krishi Bhawan, stating that their protest will continue. The groups had arrived at the ministry after centre wanted to initiate a dialogue over the agrarian bills turned laws which are being protested by farmers in different parts of the country. "We weren't satisfied with discussions so we walked out, we want these black laws to be scrapped. Secretary said he'll communicate our demands further," a farmer union leader told news agency ANI. "We walked out as no minister came for the meeting. We want these laws to be taken back," another said. Under the new laws, the farmers are allowed to sell their produce directly to big corporates without the interference of middlemen - a prospect that the farmers have found alarming. Also check this podcast:  They fear that they will be at the mercy of the corporates especially with Minimum Support Price not being directly mentioned even though the central government has assured that MSP will continue. According to the PM Narendra Modi-led union government, the laws will end farmers' reliance on middlemen who they think have been contributing to the corruption and malpractices in buying and selling of agricultural produce. WATCH | Mehbooba Mufti raises question on scrapping of Article 370