Kerala Minister stands in solidarity with protesting farmers', urges Centre for dialogue

Extending support to the protesting farmers' on Tuesday evening, Kerala Minister KK Shailaja (known as Shailaja Teacher) has urged the Government of India to speak to them in a democratic manner. While the CPI(M) has backed the farmers' protest and had also attacked the Central government allegedly for not listening to farmers, the state government of Kerala has not reacted. However, with Shailaja's solidarity message, the Kerala government joins the Jharkhand and Punjab government in backing the farmers' protest.

A day earlier, weighing in on the ongoing protests by farmers, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday lashed out at the Union government's handling of the situation. He contended that the Centre had once again attacked a section of the society which is responsible for propelling the country's growth. Mentioning that farmers feed the people of the entire country, he expressed concern about farmers taking to the streets. 

Moreover, local Congress leaders have opened community kitchens on the protest site in Burari and Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad joined the ongoing protest & met with the farmers on Tuesday. AAP has already supported the farmers' protest and Kejriwal government even denied permission of converting grounds as temporary prisons. It has attacked the Centre for using water cannons and tear gas shells on the farmers. Former BJP ally SAD is also in support of the ongoing protest. 

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Talks to continue on December 3

The third round of talks between farmers' associations and the Centre on Tuesday remained inconclusive. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Chanda Singh- a member of the farmers' delegation stated that the protests against The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 will continue even as another round of talks shall be held on Thursday. However, a huge section of the farmers has not only refused to proceed towards the designated Nirankari Samagam Ground in Burari but also threatened to block 5 entry points to the national capital. 

Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar mentioned that the discussions in the meeting were cordial. He added that the farmers' leaders had dismissed the Centre's offer to form a smaller committee for conducting talks. Tomar, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and MoS Commerce Som Parkash represented the NDA government during the deliberations which took place at the Vigyan Bhawan. 

As per sources, the Union government gave a detailed presentation to the representatives of the farmers to allay their concerns about the Agricultural Produce Market Committees and the Minimum Support Price system.

READ | Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Concerned About Farmers Taking To Streets, Lambasts Centre'

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