Hope to resolve farmers’ issues: MoS Rupala

By Navneet Mishra

New Delhi, Dec 2 (SocialNews.XYZ) A day ahead of another crucial round of talks with farmer leaders on their demands, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Parshottam Rupala said that the Centre is hopeful of a resolution to the farmers' grievances at the earliest.

"There is hope of resolving their issues during the parleys on December 3. The government is ready to resolve the issues... that is why talks are going on in a positive atmosphere," he told IANS.

He said that the Union government was now focused on the December 3 meeting in the wake of inconclusive talks with leaders of the agitating farmers from Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday.

"Let's see what results come out of Thursday's meeting. The government is trying its best to resolve the issues at the earliest by interacting with the farmers. The agitation will definitely end through a dialogue," said the Rajya Sabha MP from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state Gujarat.

Asked if the central government had "failed" to convince the farmers about the three new central agriculture-related laws enacted in September 2020, which led to their agitation, the Minister said: "I believe that those who are agitating on the issue should respond to this question. Then you should seek my comments. I will like to only say that the Union government is committed to resolving the problems of the farmers. Definitely, the matter will be sorted out."

Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other states have been rallying on the Delhi borders since November 26 as per their 'Delhi Chalo' agitation against the three agricultural laws, affecting commuter movement and supply of essential commodities.

Leaders of over 30 farmers' organisations held a meeting at the Vigyan Bhavan here on Tuesday with Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Railways and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and his Minister of State Som Prakash.

The meeting that lasted for about three and a half hours however did not help resolve the farmers' demands.

Another meeting was held in the Ministry of Agriculture from 7.30 pm onwards with representatives of Bharatiya Kisan Union led by Rakesh Tikait.

In both the meetings, the Ministers asked the farmer leaders to give their objections to the farm laws in writing as well as their suggestions so that the same can be discussed at the December 3 meeting.

Source: IANS