The ninth round of talks between protesting farmer organisations and Union ministers to end the deadlock on agriculture laws are underway at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi. Meanwhile, when it was time for lunch, a 'langar' was sent by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee for the farmer leaders.Mixed vegetables, rice, roti, tea, biscuits and 'moong dal ka halwa' were sent by the committee.Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Railway, Commerce and Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Prakash are in discussion with representatives of 41 farmer organisations at Vigyan Bhavan here. This meeting is considered very important as eight rounds of conversation were inconclusive.Actually, the 'langar' was once tasted by the Union ministers along with the farmer leaders.Despite the Supreme Court setting up an expert committee to figure out the actual problem in the laws, the Central government is continuing efforts to hold talks with the farmers. In this series, the ninth round of conversation is going on with the farmer representatives at Vigyan Bhavan.
The farmers are adamant on their demand of rolling back of three farm laws and provide legal guarantee for procurement of crops at minimum support price (MSP) while the government wants to hold a point-wise discussion with them over the laws.However, Union Minister Piyush Goyal has assured them that the crop procurement as per the MSP will be continued. Also, the procurement agency of the Centre, Food Corporation of India, will be strengthened further.The farmer leaders are meeting the Union ministers for the first time since the apex court constituted a panel of experts in this regard.Farmer organisations are demanding to roll back the three farm laws -- the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Price Assurance and Agricultural Services Agreement Act 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 -- and legal guarantee for the purchase of crops at the MSP.