Ex-Haryana CM OP Chautala against implementation of farm laws; appeals to PM Modi

On Monday, INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi opposing the implementation of the three farm laws passed in Parliament. A 4-time CM, Om Prakash Chautala is the grandfather of current Deputy Haryana CM Dushyant Chautala who has incidentally backed these laws with some amendments. The former CM has been languishing in the Tihar jail since his conviction in a teacher recruitment scam. He lamented that the farmers' stir was going for more than a month owing to the Centre's stubbornness.

Chautala contended that the farmers could not accept these laws taking into account their financial situation. To buttress his point, he claimed that Bihar's farmers were forced to work as labourers in Punjab, Haryana and other states. Moreover, he expressed apprehension that the consequences for the country will not be good if the peaceful agitation turns violent. Pointing out that nearly 50 farmers had lost their lives during the agitation, the ex-Haryana CM called upon the Centre to either repeal the agrarian laws or keep them in abeyance until all unions and experts consent to them. 

Read: Rahul Gandhi Flies Off To Italy Amid Centre-farmer Faceoff & Congress Party Chief Polls

Read: Farmer Leader Rakesh Tikait Receives Threatening Call; FIR Registered

Centre invites farmers' unions for talks

Earlier in the day, the Union government invited representatives of 40 protesting farmers' unions for talks at 2 pm on Wednesday. Agriculture Ministry Secretary Sanjay Agarwal conveyed this in response to the unions' letter dated December 26 wherein they had expressed willingness to restart talks on Tuesday. Maintaining that the Indian government is always ready to talk to the farmers with an open mind, Agarwal reiterated its commitment to address issues with honest intent. 

Moreover, he stressed that a detailed discussion will be held on the farmers' concerns pertaining to the three farm laws, procurement at Minimum Support Price, the Commission for the Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance, 2020 and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020. Earlier, the talks had come to a standstill after the Centre made it clear that it shall not repeal the three farm laws passed by both Houses of Parliament. The deliberations shall take place at the Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital and will involve Central Ministers including Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. 

Read: Cross FIRs Lodged As Farmer, Paddy Centre In-charge Fight In Uttar Pradesh