Farmers Movement Archive

Surjit Kumar Jyani meets Rajnath Singh & agriculture minister, says ready for farmer talks

BATHINDA: Former Punjab minister and BJP leader Surjit Kumar Jyani said after his meeting with defence minister Rajnath Singh and Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar at New Delhi on Sunday that the ministers showed interest in solving the impasse and were ready to hold talks with farm leaders. Jyani was called for the meeting following his outburst against the BJP leadership for not listening to farmers protesting against the central farm laws or bothering to talk to them, Jyani told TOI over the phone: "Rajnath Singh asked to be put through to farm leaders and he spoke to a senior farm leader at length.” Formal Centre invite after farm groups agree for talks: JyaniJyani said Rajnath invited all 31 farm organisations for talks at his home. "The moment the farm organisations give their consent, a formal invitation will be extended," he added. Rajnath is said to have invited the farm leaders for talks to Delhi and even offered to host lunch for them. A meeting between ministers and farm organisations is expected immediately after Diwali. Sources said Jyani was also asked to get feedback from farm organisations. Jyani was accompanied by two BJP functionaries from Punjab, Harjit Singh Grewal and Bikramjit Singh Cheema. Sources said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government took Jyani’s outburst “very seriously” and it was because of this that Union home minister Amit Shah and railway minister Piyush Goyal met MPs from Punjab on Saturday and Tomar showed interest in holding talks with farmers on the new farm laws. Jyani had on November 5 taken on the Centre, blaming Modi, Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda, saying they were not paying heed to the issues of farmers and insulting them. Farm leader Balbir Singh Rajewal denied having spoken to ministers on the phone, but said Jayani called him on Saturday. “If the Centre sends an invitation for talks, we will discuss it and decide in a joint meeting,” he said. He also refused to reveal what was discussed during his telephonic conversation with Jyani.

The Times of India

2020-11-09

Amritsar