Govt hopes meeting with farmers will be successful, says MoS Som Prakash
Dec 03, 2020
New Delhi [India], December 3 : The government is hopeful that the meeting with representatives of protesting farmers, scheduled for later today, will be successful, said Som Prakash, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry on Thursday.
"We are hopeful that the meeting will be successful. The aim of holding a dialogue is to find a solution," Prakash told ANI.
The MoS said the Government will hold "point by point discussion" with the farmers to reach a solution.
"Government will hold talks with farmers with an open heart in the interest of the nation," he stated further.
Notably, farmers have warned that Thursday's talks are the "last chance" for the government to take a decision on the laws.
"Tomorrow is the last chance for the government to take a decision to repeal the laws, otherwise this movement will become huge and the government will fall," Pratibha Shinde of the Lok Sangharsh Morcha said on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, farmers' leaders have departed from Singhu border for their meeting the government on farm laws.
"35 leaders are going to meet the government. We are educated farmers; we know what is good for us. We want these laws to be withdrawn," said a farmer.
The government had held the third round of talks with farmer representatives on Tuesday. During the talks, the Centre has offered to set up a committee, which the farmers' unions rejected, and instead demanded a special session of parliament to repeal what they have called "black laws" made to favour corporate bodies. Farmers said they'll continue their protest till their issues are resolved.
Tomar said after the meeting on Tuesday that it was good and the farmer unions have been urged to share specific issues related to farm Acts which will be discussed during the fourth round of meeting on December 3 and added that "it remains to be seen to what extent issues can be resolved".
Apart from Tomar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash were also present in the meeting held with farmer leaders on Tuesday.
Several farmers from different parts of the country like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are also marching towards Delhi to join the protest against new farm laws.
The farmers are protesting against The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
