Delhi CM Kejriwal to Meet Protesting Farmers at Lunch Tomorrow, Agri Laws to Be Discussed: Sources
File photo of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal
Earlier this month, a delegation of SKM leaders had met Kejriwal, urging him for a judicial enquiry into the alleged “conspiracy” against the protesting farmers.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will host protesting farmer leaders at a lunch at the Vidhan Sabha here on Sunday afternoon where he will discuss with them the three contentious Central agricultural laws and other related issues, government sources said Saturday. However, the government as well as AAP leaders were tight-lipped about the names of the union leaders invited for the meeting. Farmer leader Darshan Pal said they had not received any invitation from the Delhi government till Saturday evening. A senior AAP leader said, “Discussions will be held at the meeting on various concerns of farmers over the agri laws and also the various aspects of the laws and its impact.” Thousands of farmers have been protesting at Delhi border under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) for nearly three months now against the three agricultural laws enacted by the Centre in September last year.
Earlier this month, a delegation of SKM leaders had met Kejriwal, urging him for a judicial enquiry into the alleged “conspiracy” against the protesting farmers. Kejriwal had said his government will help trace the farmers who have been missing since the violence on January 26 during a tractor parade by the protesting farmers, and asserted that if needed, he will approach the Lieutenant Governor and the Centre in this regard.
Kejriwal had also visited one of the protest sites at Singhu border in December and challenged the Centre to have an open debate with them in the three laws. The AAP government has extended full support to the protesting farmers. Kejriwal in a gesture of his party’s support had torn the copies of farm laws in Delhi Assembly in December last year.
Farmers mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are camping at the border points of Delhi including at Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri, and have been demanding the Centre scrap the farm laws and ensure legal guarantee for MSP purchase of crops. The stalemate over the issue continues despite 11 rounds of talks between farmer leaders and the Central government.
