File photo of Union Home Minister Amit Shah
New Delhi: In a late night development today, the Central Government is learnt to have told the farmer leaders that instead of withdrawing the three farm acts that the farmers are demanding, it was prepared to amend the laws. Union Home Minister Amit Shah told the farmer leaders that tomorrow the government will give a written proposal to the farmers in this regard, sources said.
Later talking to said globalbihari.com, Bharatiya Kisan Union general secretary Dharmendra Malik said now tomorrow’s scheduled meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was cancelled and the farmers will take the next decision only after going through the government’s proposal.
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It may be mentioned that Shah had today waved an olive branch seeking to have a meeting with a delegation from the protestors to bring about an amicable solution. He invited 13 farmer leaders including eight from Punjab for a meeting that started at 8 pm and continued for almost three hours.
Shah’s move had reportedly created a discord among the farmers’ organisations with Joginder Singh Ugrahan, leader of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan), who was not invited to the talks, taking to social media to express his views that there was no need for the talks before official consultations. He said he hoped that the leaders attending today’s meet would keep in mind the view of the larger group. The farmer leaders who met Shah also included Rakesh Tikait of Bharatiya Kisan Union as well as Hannan Mollah of the All India Kisan Sabha.
