Farmers' leaders should discuss with govt and resolve stir: Ramdas Athawale

The leaders of the farmers' agitation in Delhi should discuss with the Centre on the three farm laws and try to resolve the issue as the government is ready to amend the laws, Ramdas Athawale said

The leaders of the farmers'

agitation in Delhi should discuss with the Centre on the three farm laws and try to resolve the issue as the government is ready to amend the laws, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said on Saturday.

While the farmers' leaders want the farm laws to be repealed, the government is explaining to them that the new legislations are aimed at helping the farmers' cause, he said.

"Government is also ready to amend the laws.But, the leaders of the farmers are not ready.Therefore, I request all the leaders...on 15th (of January), there is a meeting with (Union Agriculture Minister) Narendra Singh Tomar," he said.

"I have confidence that leaders of the farmers... they should accept the proposal of the Government of India...," he told reporters here.

It is not good for democracy if the laws are repealed as there could be more demands to abolish the laws made by Parliament, he said.

The Centre is ready to make amendments with regard to the laws on the points raised by the leaders of farmers, he said.

Farmers from Punjab are active in the ongoing agitation and those from other states are not so active, he claimed.

He appealed to the TRS government in Telangana to provide five acres of land to landless poor, irrespective of caste affiliations, for their uplift.

Athawale, president of Republican Party of India (RPI-A), favoured extending reservations to people from economically backward classes in the society.

Referring to the demand by Maratha community in Maharashtra for quotas, he said the Reddy community in Telangana should be given reservation and the TRS government should take such a decision like the Maharashtra government did, he said.