The tenth round of talks between the Centre and the farmer's leaders at Delhi's Vigyan Bhawan has failed to break the ongoing deadlock concerning the new agriculture reforms.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in today's meeting with farmers representatives told that the government is ready to wait for a year for the implementation of the three farm laws.
The union minister also added that if the farmers agree they would form a committee that will look into the laws clause wise.
“We can constitute a committee with farmers and government representatives as members. The committee will discuss the laws clause wise. While the Supreme Court has put farm laws in abeyance for two months if needed and consultations are on, the government can wait for a year for their implementation,” said Tomar.
However, farmer unions rejected Tomar's proposal.
The next round of discussions is scheduled for January 22.
The Centre is willing to file an affidavit in the Supreme Court to clear out any doubts that the farmers’ unions and farmers have, said Tomar stressing that on the occasion of Guru Gobind Singh's Parkash Parv both sides should reach a consensus before the meeting ends.
The Centre told the farmers that repeal of the three laws is not an option, adding that if they want to continue with their protest and contend against the laws, then farmers can appeal the Supreme Court.
The Centre again asserted that it is willing to make further amendments in the laws, but there is no scope of repealing the laws.
The government side is represented by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhury.
The tenth round of talks between farmer unions and the Centre over the three farm laws begins at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. https://t.co/oqPjGpHgyu pic.twitter.com/XrpvrwWxKy
— ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2021
The previous nine rounds of formal talks between the Centre and 41 farmer unions have also failed to bear any concrete results to end the long-running protest at Delhi's borders.
The framers have remained stuck with their main demand for a complete repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee for the procurement of crops at the Minimum Support Price. While the Centre is insisting farmers discuss all the laws clause by clause and offered to make amendments in the laws.
The Supreme Court last week stayed the implementation of these laws and named a four-member panel to negotiate between the farmers and the Centre to resolve the issue.