The Union’s Ministry of Agriculture wrote to the farmers’ unions on Thursday and invited them again to the sixth round of talks on a “date and time of your choice,” reported the ANI news agency. The ministry’s letter came a day after the protesting farmers rejected their earlier proposal on the matter, saying no negotiations would take place until the government “sets a new agenda”.
The letter signed by Vivek Aggarwal, the joint secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, referred to the letter the farmers unions had sent to the government on Wednesday and rejected his earlier proposal. The letter reaffirmed the government’s commitment to finding “logical solutions” to all questions raised by the protesting farmers. It is crucial for the government to keep negotiations open with various farmers’ organizations in the country. “The government respectfully and openly held several rounds of talks and also suggested that the next round of talks should be held at will,” the letter continues.
It also addressed various objections from the farmers’ unions, including the minimum support price (MSP), and the items that have so far been discussed in five rounds between the two sides, including one each on December 1st, 3rd and 5th. “I would like to emphasize once again that the government has spoken openly with you about the issues you have raised and is ready to do so in the future. Please let us know the date and time for the next round. The discussion will take place in Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, with a ministerial committee, ”concluded the letter, quoting Aggarwal.
The government had previously written to the farmers’ unions on Sunday and invited them to the sixth round of talks. The protests against the agricultural law took place on Thursday the 29th day.
Earlier in the day, a delegation of three congressional leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, met President Ram Nath Kovind to request his intervention to repeal the three laws. Several other congressional leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were arrested by Delhi police when they tried to march to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, even though only three party leaders were given permission to meet the president.