Govt still ready to suspend farm laws: PM Modi

New Delhi: The central government’s proposal to pause implementation of the controversial agriculture laws for 18 months is still available to the farmers, PM Narendra Modi said on Saturday, according to media reports.

The PM was addressing floor leaders of various political parties at the customary all-party meeting convened by the government for the smooth conduct of the Budget Session.

Quoting sources, news agency PTI reported that the Centre’s proposal on the three new agriculture laws still stands.

Citing the prime minister’s address at the virtual meeting, the report said Modi told the leaders that Tomar was just a phone call away for protesting farmers and the agriculture minister had conveyed the same to farmer leaders earlier this month.

The all-party meeting is convened for the government to put forth its legislative agenda before political parties. Leaders from various parties flag issues they wish to raise during the meeting.

At Friday’s meeting, various leaders including Ghulam Nabi Azad of Congress, Sudip Bandyopadhyay of Trinamool Congress, Balwinder Singh Bhunder of Shiromani Akali Dal and Vinayak Raut of Shiv Sena raised the issue of protesting farmers, the news report said.