Should they bring plough & oxen?: AAP on MoS VK Singh's 'don't appear like farmers' theory

Amidst the ongoing farmers' agitation against the new agricultural laws, Union Minister VK Singh on Tuesday said that many of the people in pictures do not appear to be farmers and alleged that besides the opposition, people who get commissions are behind the protests.

'Should they come with plough and oxen?'

"Many of the people in pictures do not appear to be farmers. What is in the interest of farmers has been done. It's not the farmers who have a problem with this (farm laws), but others. Besides opposition, people who get commission are behind it (protest)," Singh told reporters. Responding to the Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hit back and asked if they needed to "come with plough and oxen to appear like farmers".

On Monday, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya had claimed that "Khalistanis and Maoists" are behind the protests and accused the AAP of "seizing the opportunity to burn Delhi down".

Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday suggested setting up a committee to look into issues raised by farmers protesting against new farm laws, but it was rejected by representatives of 35 agitating organisations during their marathon meeting with three Union Ministers that ended without any resolution. The meeting at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital remained inconclusive and the government has called for another round of discussions on Thursday, December 3, farmer Union Leaders said.

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Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Tuesday that the meeting with representatives of farmers unions was "good" and they had been urged to share specific issues related to farm Acts on Wednesday which will be discussed during the fourth round of meeting on December 3.

The minister, who interacted with members of BKU in the evening at Krishi Bhavan after the government's talks with the farmer representatives from Punjab at Vigyan Bhavan, said the government is always open to discussions with the farmers. Thousands of farmers from Punjab and Haryana stayed put at various Delhi border points for the sixth consecutive day on Tuesday. The government says the laws will reform the agricultural sector and allowing farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country. Critics and farmers fear they will be overrun by corporates.

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