Home Minister Amit Shah has called farmers for talks this evening, a day before the government’s sixth round of negotiations to end massive protests against farm laws.
The Home Minister’s invite emerged as a nationwide shutdown or Bharat Bandh called by protesting farmers hit road and rail traffic in parts of the country, blocked many highways and shut down markets, affecting supplies.
“I received a phone call. Amit Shah has called a meeting. We have been called at 7 pm,” said farmer leader Rakesh Tikait.
Mr Tikait said various representatives of farmer groups protesting on the highways near Delhi would attend the meeting.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, NCP, Aam Aadmi Party, DMK and TRS, have backed today’s protest.
A meeting on Friday between the centre and farmers, which lasted seven hours, failed to end the deadlock.
Farmer groups said they would not accept anything short of the scrapping of three new laws enacted in September, which they fear will reduce their earnings and leave them at the mercy of corporates.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar, who led the negotiations, said the government “has no ego” but made it clear that the government was ready to offer anything but repeal the laws.
“The government suggested an amendment in all three laws. But the farmers’ organisations unanimously said all the three laws should be repealed. The government assured that they can consider new laws on Minimum Support Price,” said Balkaran Singh Brar, a leader of All-India Kisan Sabha.
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