Deadlock Over Three Farm Laws Continues As 7th Round Of Centre-Farmer Talks Fail, Next Meeting On January 8

The deadlock over the three central farm laws continues as the seventh round of talks between representatives of protesting farmers and the Central government failed on Monday, January 4. The next meeting will be held on January 8.

The government is not ready to roll back the farm laws and has suggested that a panel should take the matter forward, The Indian Express reported. The farmer groups also stuck to their demand for the repeal of the Acts.

According to the report, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, who participated in the meeting, said, "Our demand is the repeal of the laws. We will not agree to any alternatives such as the setting of the committee," he said.

The meeting was attended by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, and Minister of State for Commerce and Punjab MP Som Parkash along with representatives of 40 farmer unions. As usual, the farmers came with their own food, but the ministers didn't join them for food like last time.

The farmers protesting at Shahjahanpur on the Haryana-Rajasthan border had earlier threatened to intensify protest by shutting malls and petrol pumps if today's talks with the government fail. They also said that they will move towards the national capital.

One of the Kisan leaders had warned that a tractor march will be held on January 6 if no concrete decision is taken in today's talks.