Farmers' Protest: Cong To Submit Memorandum To Prez Today; PM Modi To Interact With Farmers Of 6 States On Friday | Top Developments

In what may be termed as government’s yet another outreach attempt, when any breakthrough still eludes the farmers and the government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to interact on Friday with farmers from six states.

New Delhi: Farmers during their protest against the new farm laws, at Ghazipur Border in New Delhi, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020. (PTI Photo)(PTI23-12-2020_000263B)

Farmers' Protest Day 29: The ongoing protest of farmers against the three contentious farm laws is one day short of completing a month yet there is solution in sight for the deadlock. While, the farmers remain adamant on complete rollback of the laws, the government is talking of making amendments in the laws. On Wednesday, protesting farmer unions asked government to come up with a new concrete proposal for resumption of talks. Replying to the Centre's offer for talks, the farmer leaders, who have rejected a proposal for amending the laws, said that they are waiting for the government to come to the table "with an open mind", adding if it "takes one step, farmers will take two". Here are the top developments: PM Modi to interact with farmers of six states: In what may be termed as government’s yet another outreach attempt, when any breakthrough still eludes the farmers and the government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to interact on Friday with farmers from six states during which they will share their experience on various initiatives taken by the Centre. Cong to submit memorandum against farm laws to Prez on Dec 24: A delegation of Congress MPs and leaders led by former party President Rahul Gandhi will submit a memorandum signed during a nationwide signature campaign to President Ram Nath Kovind on December 24, urging his intervention for annulling the three farm laws enacted in September. Farmers ask Centre to come up with concrete proposal: Asserting that the ball is in the Centre's court, protesting farmer unions on Wednesday asked it to come up with a new concrete proposal for resumption of talks, even as Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar underscored that dialogue was the only way for a solution and the government was committed to reforms in the farm sector. Government must stop defaming farmers, say protesters The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (coordination committee of the farmer unions) on Wednesday responded to the proposal sent by the central government, saying they are ready to talk but the government must stop defaming their protest movement. In a letter addressed to the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, they said that it is not hidden from anyone that the government is trying to portray the "peaceful, grassrooted and lawful struggle" of the farmers of the entire country as "separatists and extremists" . UK Sikh MP asks Boris Johnson to clarify stand on farmers' stir British Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi on Wednesday expressed solidarity with the protesting farmers in India and went on to ask UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to clarify his stand and to raise the issue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to India next month. Solution only through dialogue: Union Agriculture Minister , Narendra Tomar on Wednesday said that a solution can be reached only through talks. He said "History is witness to this fact. However old and strong the protest is, the end and the solution to a protest are reached through dialogue only." He added that the government will continue with reforms in the farm sector as it is committed to strengthening it.