Farmers Movement Archive

Centre extends 2nd invitation to farm groups for talks on 3 new laws

BATHINDA/AMRITSAR: Three days after 30 farm organisations of Punjab rejected the Centre’s offer of talks, the Union agriculture ministry has again invited 29 farm organisations for talks on the three contentious agriculture laws on October 14. This time, the Union agriculture secretary, Sanjay Aggarwal, has sent an invite on the ministry’s letterhead to representatives of all farm organizations, barring Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Lakhowal. The invite reads, "The farmers are on protest for the last few days in Punjab pertaining to agri-related issues. The government of India has always been serious about agriculture, so it is willing to hold talks with the farmers.” Earlier, the government had sent an invite on October 6 calling farm organisation representatives for talks on October 8, but the farm groups had turned down the offer for being "sent selectively" and its "language not being conducive". Farm organisation representative and Krantikari kisan union president Darshan Pal Singh said, "The groups will decide on whether to go for talks after a meeting of various farm groups at Jalandhar on October 13. The organisations are concerned about the prevailing situation, but any decision will be taken collectively.” Farm organisation BKU Sidhupur state president Jagjit Singh Dallewal said almost all organisations have received the invite. We will decide and announce our course of action after a joint meeting on October 13. While leaders of farmers’ bodies are yet to take any decision on it, a few of them have raised some crucial points. "The invitation is from a secretary-level official who doesn’t have any decision-making power, and the invitation has not been extended to the rest of the farmers bodies in India, especially those in Haryana," said state general secretary of Kisan Mazdur Sangarash Committee (KMSC) Sarwan Singh Pandher while talking to TOI on Sunday. KMSC was of the view that the invite should have come from the prime minister himself since he was the only person who could give orders to quash the three farm laws. Besides, the agenda of the meeting is not clear," said Pandher, adding that the KMSC would hold a meeting on Monday to take a decision on the invitation. State president of Jamhuri Kisan Sabha Satnam Singh Ajnala said they would react to the invite only after convening a meeting to discuss the letter’s content. Bhartiya Kisan Union Ekta (Dakunda) president Boota Singh Burjgill said, "This time the invitation is from the central government, but it’s not clear who will hold the meeting with us and on which issue." He said leaders of farmers’ organizations would meet on October 13 to decide on the invite." In the meanwhile, farmer protests continued for the 11th day on railway tracks and toll plazas.

The Times of India

2020-10-12

Amritsar