Ahead of the eighth round of talks between farmers’ union leaders and representatives of the government over the three controversial farm laws passed in September, Union minister of state for agriculture Kailash Choudhury hoped for a breakthrough in the impasse.
“I am hopeful that a resolution will be reached at Friday’s meeting. We could have ended the deadlock by now had the protesting farmer unions discussed the issues raised at the first meeting.” There was no demand for a repeal of the three farm laws at the first meeting, he added.
The eighth round of talks will take place between Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Piyush Goyal and Som Parkash and the 40 protesting farmer unions at the Vigyan Bhawan at 2pm on Friday.
While the government has said it will consider making changes to the laws but won’t repeal them, farmers have demanded that they be revoked completely. Both sides have said they won’t budge from their positions.
