'In The Next Meet, We Will Put Pressure On The Govt,' Farmer Leader After Talks With Centre

“We are hopeful. The laws are wrong. In the next meeting, we will put pressure on the government. They will have to say that they will take back the laws. In my opinion, it will be finalized in the meeting day after tomorrow,” Tanda told the media.

New Delhi: Farmers speak to media representatives after a meeting with Union Minister for Farmers' Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar on the new farm laws, outside Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020. (PTI Photo/Arun Sharma)

Farmers' Protest: After the fourth-round of meeting between the Centre and the farmers' leader concluded, on Thursday, Harjinder Singh Tanda leader of Azaad Kisan Sangharsh Committee, said that in the next meeting, we will put pressure on the government, so that they take back the new farm laws. “We are hopeful. The laws are wrong. In the next meeting, we will put pressure on the government. They will have to say that they will take back the laws. In my opinion, it will be finalized in the meeting day after tomorrow,” Tanda told the media. “Talks have made little progress. In the half time it seemed that today's meeting will yield no result, in second half it seemed that there is pressure of farmer’s agitation, on the government. Talks were held in a conducive atmosphere,” he further added. The talks that stretched for seven-hours, according to Rakesh Tikait, Spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union, made little progress and the government has given indication over Maximum Selling Price (MSP). “Government has given indications over MSP. It seems that their stand over MSP will be fine. The talks have made a little progress,” he said He further said that the government wants to talk about MSP, but the issue is to roll-back the new laws. Farmers want the laws to be taken back, not to get amended. “The issue is about the complete roll back of laws. Not only one but discussions will also be held on several issues. Farmers want that the laws be taken back. Government wants to talk about MSP and amendment to the Acts,” he further said. Concerned with the farmers protesting at the Delhi Border, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, while addressing the media, assured the agitators that the government is listening to their concerns. "Some points have been raised in previous meetings and today's meet. Farmer unions are mainly concerned about these. Government has no ego; it was discussing with farmers with an open mind. Farmers are concerned that the new laws will end Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMC). The government will contemplate about seeing that APMC is further strengthened and its usage increases. New laws lay down provision for private mandis outside purview of APMC. So, we'll also contemplate about having an equal tax for private as well as mandis under AMPC Act," the agriculture minister said. Further assuring the farmer, that government is listening, Tomar said they will definitely reach a conclusion. "The government is holding talks and the issue that will come up during discussion will definitely reach to a solution. That is why I appeal to farmers to end their agitation so that people of Delhi don't face problems that they are facing due to protests,” he further said. For the next meeting, that is set to happen on December 5, Som Prakash Minister of State for Industry and Commerce, told the media “Points of discussion have been prepared. Discussions will be held on these points on December 5 and we hope that the agitation will end the same day.” Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and other states, have been protesting at the border of Delhi, against the government, over the new farm laws, passed by the government in September, earlier this year. Supporting the protest, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), broke up from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Centre, after Harsimrat Kaur Badal, SAD leader resigned from her ministry.