The Punjab Kisan Sangarsh Committee (PKSC) on Tuesday said protesting farmers will not talk with the government till all 500 plus organisations, that are demonstrating against the three central farm laws, are called for talks.
"There are more than 500 groups of farmers in the country, but the government has invited only 32 groups for talks today. The rest have not been called by the government. We will not be going for talks till all groups are called," said Sukhvinder S Sabhran, Joint Secretary of PKSC at the Singhu Border on Tuesday
The response comes a day after the union government proposed December 1 as the new date of talks with the leaders of protesting farmers on their concerns about the three new farm laws with the decision taken after high-level deliberations.
Sabhran alleged that the government is "trying to divide the farmers among themselves, but talks will only be initiated after every farmers' organisation, from across the country, participating the demonstration is given a representation during the meeting".
Meanwhile, on November 29, farmers had refused the Centre's pleas to move the protest to Nirankari Samagam Ground provided by the government to hold the demonstration in the national capital, calling it an 'open jail'.
The Centre on Monday invited agitating farmer unions for talks on December 1, two days ahead of a scheduled meeting, as their stir against the new agri-marketing laws appeared to intensify despite a strong defence of the legislation by the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi who accused the opposition of "playing tricks" on farmers again through misinformation.
Thousands of farmers stayed put at various Delhi border points for the sixth consecutive day on Tuesday protesting against the new farm laws, which they fear will dismantle the minimum support price system and corporatise farming.
Farmers are protesting in Delhi and its border areas against the 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.
