Come for talks, Tomar urges farmers

New Delhi: As farmers’ unions started their ‘Kisaan Parliament’ at Jantar Mantar to pay tribute to those who died during the ongoing agitation, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday yet again urged them to leave the path of agitation and come for talks. Tomar said farmers across the country have favoured the three farm laws.      

Tomar said, “I want to tell through you (media) that farmers should leave the path of protest and come for dialogue. We are ready for talks if they come with issues in the bills point wise. If they come with their proposal, we are ready to discuss,”  he said.

Asserting that the government is sensitive towards farmers, the minister said in the last seven years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, major steps have been taken in the agriculture sector, the benefits of which are reaching cultivators across the



country.

“Country has witnessed that these farm laws are beneficial and are in favour of farmers. We have had discussions about these laws. If they express their issues with the laws point-wise, we can discuss it,” Tomar added.

Tomar, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, had reiterated that the government will remain open to discussions with protesting farmers’ unions to resolve issues over the three agriculture laws passed by Parliament in September last year.      

After getting special permission from Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal, a group of 200 farmers reached Jantar Mantar — adjacent to the Parliament Complex — in central Delhi to protest against the Centre’s three contentious farm laws amid the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament. They have got permission to protest till August 9 amid heavy security.