Govt-farmers talks remain inconclusive, next meeting on Jan 19

New Delhi: The ninth round of talks between the protesting farmers and the central government remained inconclusive and the next round of talks will be held January 19.

The talks were held at Vigyan Bhawan. Ahead of the talks, farmer unions again pressed their demand to repeal the three recent farm laws.

“Government needs to devise a plan to scrap the three laws and give legal guarantee for minimum support price,” Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said.

Our demands of repealing of the three farm laws & MSP guarantee remain. We will not go to the Committee constituted by the Supreme Court. We'll talk to Central Government only: Rakesh Tikait, BKU spokesperson pic.twitter.com/SihCfAMSqM

— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2021

As the ninth round of talks between farmers and the Central government over farm laws remained inconclusive on Friday, national spokesperson of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Rakesh Tikait said the farmers will not go to the Committee constituted by the Supreme Court, they will talk to Centre only.

“Our demands of repealing of the three farm laws and MSP (minimum support price) guarantee remain. We will not go to the Committee constituted by the Supreme Court. We’ll talk to Central government only,” said Tikait after the meeting ended.

The Supreme Court had on Tuesday stayed the implementation of three farm laws until further orders and formed a four-member committee.

Harpal Singh Sangha, Azad Kissan Committee, told reporters, “Not even a single issue was resolved in today’s talk as well. The Centre said it will talk about MSP later on.”

The next round of talks will be held on January 19.

Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the Centre is positive to reach a solution through talks.

Today's talks with farmers unions were not decisive. We will hold talks again on 19th January. We are positive to reach a solution through talks. The government is concerned about the farmers protesting in cold conditions: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar pic.twitter.com/izobQHE7B5

— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2021

“Today’s talks with farmers’ unions were not decisive. We will hold talks again on 19th January. We are positive to reach a solution through talks. The government is concerned about the farmers protesting in cold conditions,” he added.

Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.