Farmers agitation will end soon, says Union Agriculture minister Narendra Tomar

By Pragya Kaushika
New Delhi [India], January 25 (ANI): A day ahead of the Republic Day tractor rally by farmers in Delhi, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday said that the agitation against the farm laws which has been going on for almost two months, will end soon.
"The protest will end soon," Tomar said.
While talking to ANI, Tomar said that the government which has so far held eleven rounds of talks with the farmers to break the impasse is still hopeful of a solution. He said that farmers could have chosen a different day for the tractor parade instead of holding it on Republic Day.
"Naturally, we are a democracy and everyone has the right to protest if one does not agree with something and present their view. When we see that some farmers, though are very few in numbers, are protesting then we should solve the crisis through talks and government is still hopeful of a solution," Tomar said.
The minister, however, said that he is sad that dialogue did not yield result due to a "few farmer unions from Punjab."
"I am sad that there are few farmer unions and the majority of them are from Punjab have objections on these laws and we respected that objections and had started the dialogue but during 11th round of talks when there was no way ahead we gave a proposal of suspending the new farm laws for 1.5 years. We even said that we can approach the Supreme Court to say we defer implementation of laws and in meanwhile we can work things out through a committee," said Tomar.
The union minister also said that the government is committed towards the welfare of farmers and agriculture. "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we ushered in many schemes and farmers are getting benefit from it. The MSP too has been raised. That farmers get attracted towards commercial crops and prospering, the government is reforming policies," added the minister.
The Minister said that farmers and the police administration have the responsibility to ensure a peaceful tractor parade tomorrow.
"I think that the farmers could have chosen another day other than republic day. But they announced the tractor parade and police have given them permission and both will try to ensure that it happens without any untoward incident. Both have the responsibility to ensure that it happens peacefully," he said.
Special Commissioner of Police (CP), Intelligence in Delhi Police, Dependra Pathak n Sunday said, "The tractor rally will enter Delhi from Tikri, Singhu, and Ghazipur borders and return to its originating points. From Singhu, it will pass through Kanjhawala, Bawana, Auchandi border, KMP Expressway, and then return to Singhu."
Farmers from all across the country are marching towards Delhi to take part in the scheduled rally. Tractors from Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan have reached on Tikri border as the farmers sit in for protest for nearly two months.
Farmers have been protesting on the 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. (ANI)