Govt welcomes Supreme Court suggestion on talks panel to end farmers' stir

NE DELHI: Union minister of state for agriculture Kailash Choudhary has welcomed the Supreme Court suggestion of setting up a committee to end the farmers’ agitation. The government is ready to take four steps forward if farmers take two, he said. He told ET that the government has always been open to addressing farmers’ apprehensions.

“We have held six rounds of talks. We understood their fears and agreed to amend few clauses to their comfort. Now, I hope the committee set up by Supreme Court does justice,” he said. Farmers should send the list of their representatives who can be part of the committee, he said.

Earlier in the day, agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that government was ready to talk to farmers with all humility to arrive at resolution. “The agitation is an exception and limited to one state only. I am thankful to the country’s farmers who have wholeheartedly extended support to the laws. I hope that the stalemate will soon be over through constructive dialogue,” Tomar said while addressing a kisan sammelan in Gwalior. Later at a virtual conference organised Assocham, Tomar said that the government would resolve the issue soon.