Protesting farmers to meet groups supporting farm laws; to 'take information on benefits'

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), one of the factions protesting against the three farm laws introduced by the Centre, has decided to call upon the groups extending support to the government over the laws. This comes after the Hind Mazdoor Kisan Samiti (HMKS) met with the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Sunday to lend support to the farm laws, becoming the seventh faction to do so. Previously groups from Haryana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh had also met with the concerned Minister in the national capital. 

"We will go and meet those farmers' groups who are supporting the Centre on three farm laws. We will take information from them about how they are benefitting from farm laws and will learn the technology which they are using to sell their crops," BKU Spokesperson Rakesh Tikait told ANI on Monday morning. 

Centre invites farmers for next round of talks

The decision to meet farmers supporting the laws comes right after the Centre's intimation to hold the next round of talks. In a bid to arrive at a solution as the farmers' protest enters day 26, the government on Sunday invited the farmers for the next round of talks and asked them to choose a convenient date. In a letter to the union leaders, Agriculture Ministry Joint Secretary Vivek Aggarwal said, "I request those previously invited protesting union leaders to provide details of their remaining concerns and doubts and suggest a date as per convenience for next round of talks." 

READ | Farmers' Delegation From Western UP Meets Tomar, Extends Support To Agri Laws

Previous six rounds of formal talks between the government and 40 farmer unions have failed to break the deadlock with the farmers insisting on a repeal of the Centre's three laws and camping at various border points of Delhi for over three weeks now. On the other hand, farmers have intensified their protests as they remain stern in their demand of repealing the three laws completely which received the President's assent on September 24. 

READ | Centre Asks Farmers' Unions To Choose Date For next Round Of Talks; Hopes For A Solution

The Unions have announced a 24-hour relay strike from Monday onwards across all the protesting sites. A team of 11 people will begin the relay hunger strike on Monday, said the farmers' unions addressing a press briefing on Sunday evening. Apart from this, the unions have also issued a call to oppose Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann ki Baat' programme on December 27. 

Earlier on Saturday, PM Modi shared Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar's 8-page letter to farmers in nine different languages. PM Modi shared the letter in  Kannada, Odiya, Telugu, Tamil, Punjabi, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi and Bengali - to connect with most non-BJP states, miffed with the Centre's Farm Laws. In a bid to reach out to farmers across the nation on the three Farm laws, BJP leaders are highlighting the benefits of the farm laws.

READ | Farmers' Protest: Relay Hunger Strike Begins On Monday, Haryana Toll Plazas To Be Blocked

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