NCP chief Sharad Pawar to meet President Kovind over farmers' agitation on December 9

As the Centre continues to engage in discussions with the agitating farmers, NCP chief Sharad Pawar is scheduled to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on December 9 over the ongoing protests against the three agrarian laws. The meeting comes on the day of the next round of talks between the farmers' representatives and the Centre after the previous round ended inconclusively on Saturday. It is important to note that the NCP had staged a walk-out in the Rajya Sabha when the three farm bills were introduced back in Septemeber during the Parliament's Monsoon Session. 

However, NCP MP Praful Patel had later asserted that the party was against the three bills introduced and had demanded the formation of a select committee to scrutinize the bills further. Meanwhile, thousands of farmers' continue to demonstrate on the borders of the national capital against the three agrarian laws. 

Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar is set to chair a key meeting on Sunday over the ongoing agitation. Minister of State (MoS) Agriculture Kailash Choudhary and Parshottam Rupala are also expected to be present in the meeting later today. 

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Next round of talks on December 9

Addressing the media on Saturday, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar announced that the next round of talks with farmer leaders will be held on December 9. Asserting that the Minimum Support Price system will continue, he expressed that the Centre's willingness to address concerns regarding this. Moreover, Tomar stated that the Union government will deliberate on all the demands of the farmers. On this occasion, he highlighted the initiatives of the Modi government for ensuring the welfare of farmers and reiterated that it had no intention of abolishing the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees. 

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Despite the Centre's repeated assurance and appeals, the farmers' unions have remained stern on continuing with the protest. The unions have issued a call for Bharath Bandh on December 8, Tuesday, which has been supported by several political parties across the country. Indian Tourist Transporters Assn (ITTA) & Delhi Goods Transport Association have also called for strike on December 8 in solidarity with farmers’ protest in Delhi. “51 unions decided to support farmers. Farming & transporting are like 2 sons of a father,” ANI quoted Satish Sherawat, President of ITTA.

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