Ahead of talks with Centre, farmers restate demand for repeal of agri laws

Leaders of farmers unions on Monday reiterated that nothing less than the repeal of Central farm laws will be acceptable to them.

Ahead of the eighth-round of talks with the Central government over the issue, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson, Rakesh Tikait said, "Many issues are to be discussed today. The government must understand, the farmer has taken this movement to his heart and won't consider less than the repeal of these laws. The government should implement Swaminathan's report and make law on MSP."

Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee's Joint Secretary Sukhwinder S Sabra also threatened to hold a tractor march if the demands of the unions weren't met.

"Our demands are the same as before - repeal the three farm laws and guarantee MSP. If our demands aren't met, then, we'll hold tractor march on January 6 and also on January 26," he said.

The meeting between the unions and the Central government is scheduled to take place today afternoon.

Despite rains and the ongoing cold wave across North India, farmers agitating against the Centre's farm laws stood strong at the borders of the national capital and continued their protest for the last 39 days.

So far, several rounds of talks have been held between the Central government and the farmer unions.

With concerns that farm laws would weaken the MSP and mandi systems and leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporates, farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national capital for over a month against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.