Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired an all-party meeting on Saturday, 30 January, through video conferencing ahead of the Budget Session for smooth functioning of Parliament.
Responding to Opposition, PM Modi said that the Centre's proposal to protesting farmers on farm laws still stands, sources told PTI. Farmers unions, on 21 January, rejected the proposal put forth by the government to suspend the farm laws for a mutually-agreed period.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, TMC's Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Shiv Sena MP Vinayak Raut, and SAD's Balwinder Singh Bhunder spoke at length on the ongoing farmers’ agitation, reported news agency ANI, adding that JDU MP RCP Singh supported the laws.
Leaders of all parties were invited to attend the meeting that is scheduled to be held in the backdrop of the ongoing farmers’ agitation against the agricultural legislations passed in September and have kept the government and opposition at loggerheads.
The government has not shown any inclination towards repealing the farm laws which is the prime demand of the protesting farmers.
Along with the Congress, 17 Opposition parties had boycotted President Ram Nath Kovind's address on 29 January, to express solidarity with farmers, who have been protesting since 26 November in Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders along Delhi, and other places to press for their demands.
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