Deadlock continues; farmers, centre to meet again today

As the protests across India intensify, the central government and farmers will hold fresh talks today to resolve the deadlock over the controversial farm laws.

Thousands of protesters camping around Delhi-borders are insistent on the laws being repealed, and two rounds of talks this week have fallen through despite repeated assurances from the government on the minimum support price for the agricultural produce.

This is the biggest farmers’ protest in years and numbers continue to swell at Delhi’s borders amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has affected over 95 lakh people across India.

Saturday’s meeting – the third in a week – will take place at 2 pm at Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan, reported NDTV.

A nationwide shutdown has been called by the protesting farmers on Tuesday (December 8).

On Friday , as 40 farmers’ union met at Delhi-Haryana border, they said they’ll block all roads to the national capital, adding they’ll also occupy all highway toll gates across the country.

Thursday’s talks fell through after the farmers’ representatives made a 39-point presentation on the inadequacies of the contentious new farm laws. Before the massive protest began last week, the centre had held similar discussions twice before, trying to convince farmers that new agricultural laws are meant to bring reforms.