Govt going to meeting with farmers with open mind and heart: Som Prakash

"We want them to celebrate New Year at their homes, with their family and we are going into the meeting with an open heart and mind. The government will try to resolve the issue", he said

 

New Delhi [India], December 30 (ANI): Ahead of the highly anticipated meeting between the Central government and agitating farmers scheduled to take place today, Union Minister Som Prakash said the government is going into the meeting with an open heart and mind and it will try to resolve the issue so that people can go back to their homes for New Year.

This would be the seventh meeting that the government is holding with protesting farmers.

"We want them to celebrate New Year at their homes, with their family and we are going into the meeting with an open heart and mind. The government will try to resolve the issue so that people can go back to their homes," said Prakash, who is part of the three-Minister panel that has been interacting with farmers since the protest started.

The Minister seemed hopeful ahead of today's meeting.

"We will discuss every issue including Minumum Support Price. I can say that we are open to talks with an open heart. They too should come with an open mind. The agitation will definitely end if they do that," Prakash added.

Minister refrained from commenting on the demand of farmers to repeal the Central farm laws and assured that the government would discuss everything the farmers wanted to.

He further said that the agitation should end today adding, "I am from Punjab and there are many expectations from me. I know many of them. All we are trying to do is to resolve this today itself."

This is the seventh round of talks of government with farmers, including one with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws - 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.