Government Holding Talks With Farmers With Full Sensitivity: Rajnath Singh

Almost 28 days after protests by farmer groups against the controversial farm laws, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Wednesday said that the government is holding talks with farmers "with full sensitivity" and wished the farmers on Kisan Diwas or Farmers' Day.

It marks the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, the fifth Prime Minister of India.

"On Farmers' Day, I greet all the annadaatas (farmers) of the country. They have provided the country with food security. Some farmers are agitating against farm laws. The government is holding talks with them with full sensitivity. I hope that they'll end their agitation soon," Singh tweeted in Hindi.

He said Chaudhary Charan Singh wanted farmers' income to grow, their crops to get profitable price and their dignity to be protected. "Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, inspired by him, has taken steps in farmers' interests. He will not let any harm become to farmers," he added.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar will be meeting the farmer groups this afternoon as the government tries drumming support for the farm laws. The farmer NGOs are expected to lend a "conditional support" to the farm laws, sources said.

"Representatives of different farmers' bodies had come to tell that the laws are good and are in the interest of farmers. They had come to urge the government not make any amendments to the laws," Tomar said on Tuesday after meeting the two groups.

"I am hopeful they (protesting farmers' unions) will soon complete their internal discussions and come forward for talks. We will be able to find a solution successfully," he added.