Govt offer on farm laws still stands: PM at all-party meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday told floor leaders of various political parties that his government’s offer on agri laws made to protesting farmers “still stands” and it was a “phone call away” for talks, days after violence broke out in parts of the national capital on Republic Day.

Addressing these leaders at the customary all-party meeting convened by the government for the smooth conduct of the Budget Session, the Prime Minister, responding to the references by opposition leaders about the “unfortunate incident” on Republic Day, said that the “law will take its own course”. Sharing the details of the meeting chaired by Modi and attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said, “The Prime Minister assured that the Centre is approaching the farmers issue with an open mind.”

“The Prime Minister said the Centre’s stand is same as it was on January 22, the last meeting between the protesting farmers and the Centre and proposal given by Agriculture Minister on the farm laws still stands. Modiji reiterated what Tomarji had said - that he (Narendra Singh Tomar) is phone call away for talks,” Joshi said, quoting Modi. At Friday’s meeting, various leaders including Ghulam Nabi Azad of Congress, Sudip Bandyopadhyay of Trinamool Congress, Balwinder Singh Bhunder of Shiromani Akali Dal and Vinayak Raut of Shiv Sena raised the issue of protesting farmers, sources said. All major opposition parties sought discussions on farmers’ issues during the meeting. While almost all opposition parties condemned the violence and vandalism at the Red Fort by a group of protesting farmers on Republic Day, they asserted that other farmers protesting peacefully should not be held responsible for it. The all-party meeting is convened for the government to put forth its legislative agenda before political parties. Leaders from various parties flag issues they wish to raise during the meeting.