Govt-farmers Round 6: Talks underway to end deadlock

New Delhi, Dec 30 : A crucial and ‘decisive’ sixth round of dialogue between the Centre and the 41 farmers’ representatives began on Wednesday here to end the deadlock as the agitation entered 35th day.
The meeting started around 2.30 p.m. at Vigyan Bhavan in the presence of Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal and Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash.
Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal and other Ministry officials also are attending the meeting.
Krantikari Kisan Union President (Punjab) Darshan Pal, Bharatiya Kisan Union’s Jagjeet Singh Dalewal and Balbir Singh Rajewal, Jamhuri Kishan Sabha Punjab General Secretary Kulwant Singh, and Bharatiya Kisan Union (Uttar Pradesh) President Rakesh Tikait were among the 41 farm union leaders taking part in the meeting.
After five inconclusive talks, the government now hopes that this meeting would be “decisive” to end the agitation against three contentious new agricultural legislations enacted in September during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The withdrawal of these laws is the first and the major demand of the agitating farmers.
In the meeting, the government will try to placate the farmers’ anger on the market-oriented reforms introduced by it, said government sources.