The agitating farmers prepared for talks with the government on Tuesday

(PTI) New Delhi, Dt

Farmers' organizations, which are adamant on the demand for repeal of new agricultural laws, have softened a bit and accepted the central government's proposal for talks on Saturday. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the main body of 20 agitating farmers' organizations, decided to hold talks with the Center on Monday, December 9 at a meeting on Saturday. The farmers' leaders will hold talks at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi on Tuesday at 11.00 am. Earlier the government had shown readiness for farmers to communicate at the time and place of their choice. There have been five rounds of talks between the Center and farmers earlier, but no solution has been reached.

Farmers have been protesting on different borders of Delhi for over a month against the new agricultural laws imposed by the central government in September 2020. In a press conference after the meeting of farmers' organizations, Yogendra Yadav said that farmers are ready for talks with the central government on December 9 at 11.00 am at Vigyan Bhavan. There are four main points on our agenda for communication.

He said that the first issue is the way to withdraw the three agricultural laws and the second issue is to bring a law to guarantee the beneficial minimum support price (MSP) suggested by the Swaminathan Commission for all farmers and agricultural produce. The third issue is to amend the Commission Ordinance 2020 for Air Quality Management in and around the National Capital Territory to exclude farmers from the penalty provisions of this ordinance. Necessary changes should be made in the draft of Electricity Reform Bill 2020 to protect the interests of farmers.

The next day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was ready to communicate with all, including his opponents, on issues, logic and facts about agricultural laws, the farmers' organizations decided to hold talks with the government. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also urged the farmers' organizations to resolve their issues through discussion. "We have informed the government of the time and date for the talks," said farmer leader Rakesh Tiket. Now the government has to decide when it will negotiate.

In a show of readiness for talks with the government, Darshan Pale, leader of a revolutionary Kisan Union, one of the agitating organizations, has announced the formation of a Kisan Tractor Front on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Highway on December 30, the second day of the proposed talks. He said toll plazas in Punjab and Haryana would be permanently 'free'. On December 30, farmers will take out a tractor front from the Indus border. He appealed to the countrymen to celebrate the New Year with the agitating farmers in Delhi and other parts of the country.