Punjab farmers’ organisations have claimed that the centre has invited them for talks on October 14 to discuss the new farm legislations. Last week, the Union Agricultural Department had extended a similar invitation, which was turned by the state’s farmers.
Punjab's farmers' organisations, who have been protesting the recently passed farm laws, have said on Sunday that the centre has invited them for talks on October 14. A decision on whether to accept the invitation will be taken at a meeting in Jalandhar on October 13, they said.
This is the second time the centre is inviting the state’s various farmers’ organisations for talks. The farmers' organisations, whose agitation against the farm laws has disrupted rail traffic and severely impacted coal supply for thermal power plants in Punjab, had last week rejected the Union agriculture department's invitation to participate in a "conference to address their concerns" on October 8.
"We have received an invitation for a meeting on October 14," said Jagmohan Singh, general secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakaunda). "Though the invite has come from the agriculture secretary, it mentions that the central government wants to talk to farmers," Singh said. "All farmers' organisations will decide whether to go to Delhi for talks during a meeting scheduled on October 13 in Jalandhar," he added.
Farmers in Punjab have been demanding the revocation of the recently passed farm laws. They have been holding a “rail roko” agitation against the "anti-farmer" laws, with protesters obstructing railway tracks at various places in the state since September 24.
Farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws will destroy the minimum support price mechanism, end Agricultural Produce Market Committees and allow corporates to arm-twist them.
However, the central government has claimed that the new farm legislations will raise farmers' income, free them from the clutches of middleman and usher in new technology into the farming sector.