Haryana Dy CM Dushyant Chautala writes to PM Modi; urges to resume Centre-farmers' talks

Amid the ongoing farmer-govt standoff, Haryana Dy CM Dushyant Chautala wrote to PM Modi urging the Centre to restart talks with the protesting farmers. Highlighting that Haryana is the only state where six crops were purchased at MSP, he expressed concern that the protest had been continuing for over 100 days now. Asking senior cabinet members to resume talks with the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha farm leaders, he said that an amicable conclusion must be brought soon. Recently, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar urged farmers to end their protest due to surge in COVID-19 cases, which has been refused by farmers.

Chautala writes to PM to talk to farmers

   
On April 10, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told farmers to send back elders and children to their homes amid 2nd COVID-19 wave. Citing that the farmers had held 11 rounds of talks, he said that 'agitation continues either when govt isn't ready to talk or when the union doesn't get favourable response'. Reiterating that farmers must postpone the protest and talk with the govt, Tomar also said that many farmers' unions, economists are supporting the Agricultural Bills.

In retaliation, BKU spokeperson Rakesh Tikait said that the Kisan Mahapanchayat protests will continue and it will continue till 7 AM tomorrow. If govt wants to talk then we are ready to talk but the govt wants conditional talks but we don’t." Rebutting Tomar's claims on Coronavirus spread due to farmers' protest, he said, "Why there is no corona where the election are happening? This is not Shaheen Bagh, protest will not end here like Shaheen bagh."

Farmers protests

After completing a peaceful 'Chakka Jam' across India except in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Tikait and other BKU leaders toured poll-bound Assam, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry seeking farmers' support against the Centre's Farm Laws, urging them to not vote for BJP. Moreover, after the violence witnessed on Republic Day, Delhi police fortified the city borders by cementing nails near barricades, deploying additional troops, adding barbed wires etc at Ghazipur (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh) and Tikri (Delhi-Haryana) borders, blocking access to the roads completely. MHA had snapped off internet across all three border areas - Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur and later extended the ban to 1-2 days more. Farmers have reiterated 'No Ghar Wapsi till Law Wapsi', as the 3-month protests have caught several international celebrities' interest online. The SC-appointed panel has submitted its report to the apex court after holding several rounds of talks with many farmer unions, trade unions, manufacturers, food processing units etc.