PM Modi reaches out to farmers with 8-page letter by Agriculture Minister
New Delhi/IBNS: In a big attempt to reach out to the protesting farmers, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has released an 8-page letter on Thursday urging for dialogue to solve the stalemate over the Centre's contentious farm laws. The letter was shared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with an urge to countrymen to read it.
The letter was released after a BJP party meeting, attended by its key leaders- Union Minister Amit Shah, his cabinet colleagues Piyush Goyal, Nirmala Sitharaman, Tomar and party chief JP Nadda.
Sharing the letter, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "Narendra Tomar Ji has expressed his feelings by writing a letter to farmer brothers and sisters, trying to have a polite dialogue. I request all the contributors to read it. The countrymen are also urged to make it reach to as many people as possible."
कृषि मंत्री @nstomar जी ने किसान भाई-बहनों को पत्र लिखकर अपनी भावनाएं प्रकट की हैं, एक विनम्र संवाद करने का प्रयास किया है। सभी अन्नदाताओं से मेरा आग्रह है कि वे इसे जरूर पढ़ें। देशवासियों से भी आग्रह है कि वे इसे ज्यादा से ज्यादा लोगों तक पहुंचाएं। https://t.co/9B4d5pyUF1
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 17, 2020
The letter assured the farmers that the agricultural markets or mandis where they get Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce will remain.
It also addressed the other concern of farmers that their land can be taken away. "Farmers will own the land. Not even an inch of farmers' land will be taken away," the letter read.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court earlier in the day heard a number of petitions on the farmers' protest against the newly-formed farm laws and said the agitation on the borders of Delhi can continue but the roads to the national capital cannot be blocked.
The apex court also directed the Centre not to implement the laws until it has taken a final decision on the matter.
The government's outreach programme was part of its 10-point agenda to deal with the farmers' protest.
The letter, however, did not contain any fresh proposal after the last one was turned down several times by the farmers.
The government has so far conducted five rounds of talks with the farmers.
The farmers' protest completed 22 days on Thursday.
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