PM urges farmers to end protest, latter say ready for dialogue

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged farmers to end their protests against the three laws, assuring that the system of Minimum Support Price (MSP) would remain in place. He also referenced his predecessor Manmohan Singh as he derided what he called the Congress' 'U-turn' on farm reforms.

Soon after this, farmer unions asked the government to fix a date for the next round of talks. They, however, objected to Prime Minister Modi's remarks in Rajya Sabha that a new 'breed' of agitators called 'andolan jivi' has emerged in the country, and said that agitation has an important role in a democracy.

Farmer leader Shiv Kumar Kakka, who is a senior member of the Samkyukta Kisan Morcha which is spearheading the ongoing protest, said they are ready for the next round of talks and the government should tell them the date and time of the meeting.

"We have never refused to hold talks with the government. Whenever it has called us for dialogue, we held discussions with Union ministers. We are ready for talks with them (government)," Kakka said.

Eleven rounds of talks have been held over the contentious farm laws but the impasse continues as the farmer unions remain firm on their demands — the repeal of the three laws and legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

In the last round of talks, the government had offered to suspend the laws for 12-18 months, but the farmer unions rejected it.

Thousands of agitating farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at three Delhi border points — Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur — for over 70 days.

While replying in Rajya Sabha on Monday to a debate on the President's address, Modi assured the farmers that mandis will be modernised, saying "not just this, MSP was there, it is there and will remain".

"We urge those sitting on the agitation that even though it is their right to agitate, the way the old people are sitting there, is not right.

"They (agitators) should be taken back. They should end the agitation and we will together find a solution as all doors are open for dialogue. From this House, I again invite them for dialogue," he said while appealing to farmers to end their agitation.

Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar, who is also a member of Samkyukta Kisan Morcha, said the government has already said 'hundreds of times' that the MSP will not go anywhere and it will remain in place.

"If the government is claiming that MSP will remain, why doesn't it provide a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price for our crops," Kohar added.

He said the farmer unions are ready to resume talks with the government, but there should be a formal invitation.

"Any issue can be resolved through proper dialogue. We are ready in-principle to resume talks," he added.

In his speech, Modi slammed the mushrooming of a new breed of 'andolan-jivi' — professional protesters — who are seen at every agitation. These "parasites feast on every agitation," he said.

"Agitation has an important role in democracy. People have a right to oppose the government's wrong policies," Kakka said, referring to the remarks by the Prime Minister.

Earlier in the day, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said business over hunger will not be allowed in the country.