Amit Shah will meet farmer leaders at 7 pm today.

By Ishank Katyal

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced on Tuesday that he will interact with the protesting farmers at 7 pm before the government’s sixth round of negotiations to end the massive protests against the new farm bills.

Shah decided to have a meeting with the farmer associations after the nationwide shutdown or Bharat Bandh called by the farmers who have hit road and rail traffic in various parts of the country which led to the hindrance of the supply of goods and services.

“I received a phone call. Amit Shah has called a meeting. We have been called at 7 pm,” said farmer leader Rakesh Tikait to media.

According to Tikait, various representatives of the farmer groups have decided to attend the meeting held in the evening.

On Friday December 2, a seven-hour long meeting between farmers and the central government failed to end the differences. The farmer groups said that they would not accept any offer other than the scrapping of the three new farm bills which were passed in September 2020 by the centre. The farmers are afraid that the new bill will reduce their earnings and give the whole agriculture sector in the hands of corporates.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar, who led the negotiatios, said that the government is not being egoistic and was ready to offer anything but repeal the laws.

“The government suggested an amendment in all three laws. But the farmer’s organisations said all the three laws should be repealed. The government assured that they can consider the new farm laws on Minimum Support Price (MSP),” said Balkaran Singh Brar, a leader of All- India Kisan Sabha.

At all the meetings till now, the farmer groups have made a 39- point presentation on how the new farm bill will affect their lives.

Opposition parties including Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, NCP, DMK and TRS have backed the Bharat Bandh today.