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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation for a dialogue to farmers protesting against the controversial agriculture reform laws has evoked a positive response but with conditions. They are ready to negotiate but not on the Centre’s turf.
While the protestors have gained strength from the Opposition parties’ support, they do want any mainstream political party intervene in their agenda for the dialogue.
After prolonged parleys, the farmers organisations decided that they will formally write to the Centre on Saturday on the modalities for future negotiations. The Prime Minister’s views expressed on the subject were interpreted as the Centre’s will to negotiate but within the contours of the laws which the farmers want repealed. This has only hardened the farmers stance.
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The NDA would have a ‘stellar’ performance in Assembly elections next year, in TN, assures Union Minister“The PM is violating the Constitutional principles on the functioning of a Cabinet. A three-member sub-committee has given us an outline for discussion. Home Minister Amit Shah broadened its contours further and now the PM is saying that the laws will not be repealed. We are not against discussion. But it seems that the Prime Minister and his office are under pressure so that the laws are not repealed,” claimed Kisan Sabha leader P Krishnaprasad.
Congress’s support
The Congress said the farmers, even in this bone chilling and spirit shattering cold, have been pleading for justice at the doors of Delhi for the past 31days. “Forty four farmers have sacrificed their lives in this ordeal, but, this Modi Government, busy in the servility of a handful of crony capitalists has shown no empathy. Prime Minister Modi and BJP Government have been working on the policy of making them ‘exhaustibly tired so they are forced to flee’ in respect of agitating farmers,” accused AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala in a statement.
He alleged that “The Union Government has become the enemy of the farmers. The bitter truth is that it is taking shelter behind political dishonesty, slyness and dramatics is not at all interested in solving the problems of farmers. The Prime Minister Modi who had roads dug up, farmers attacked with water cannons and lathi charge is today indulging in the drama of Samman Nidhi . Let us find out the truth behind the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP Governments ‘clarification meeting’ held today to appease and misinform the farmers,” he added.
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