Farmer leaders meet Khattar, say no pact over demands yet

Farm union leaders from Haryana on Friday held a lengthy meeting with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar at his residence here but later said no agreement was reached over their demands, including withdrawal of cases registered against protesters during their stir against farm laws.

Briefing reporters after the marathon meeting which eight farm union leaders from Haryana had with Khattar, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Chaduni) chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni said, ''The net result after our talks is that there was no agreement reached on our demands.'' Next course of action will be decided in the Samyukt Kisan Morcha's meeting on Saturday, said Chaduni.

The demands included withdrawal of cases registered against the farmers in the state, compensation and a government job to next of kin of those who died on account of various reasons and space for setting up a memorial at Kundli border, he said.

When asked if none of the demands were met, Chaduni reiterated, ''We did not get a satisfactory reply from the government. Talks broke down and the rest we will decide in tomorrow's SKM meeting.'' Asked what was the government's approach during the meeting, Chaduni said, ''It was neither soft nor hard. But there was no agreement.'' Farm union leader Abhimanyu Kohar said the Haryana committee held talks with the chief minister.

''All that transpired will be put before the SKM meeting,'' said Kohar.

Khattar had on Thursday said he will invite farm union leaders for talks to look into their demands pertaining to the state government.

Chaduni said the Haryana farm union leaders had later received an invitation from the chief minister.

Khattar had a few days ago said the state government will consider ''sympathetically'' the farmers' demand for withdrawal of police cases registered against them during the course of their year-long agitation against farm laws.

He had also said he has already appealed to the farmers, who have been protesting at Delhi's borders for over a year, to return to their homes now.

Earlier, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar had said the right to cancel cases against farmers is a state matter.

Khattar had later said farmers have not yet ended their agitation and are still protesting despite the repeal of the farm laws.

''When this issue (farmers' agitation) reaches its end, we will do what our government has to do on its part,'' the CM had said.

The Centre on Wednesday notified a legislation to repeal the three agriculture laws against which thousands of farmers have been protesting for over a year now.

The Farm Laws Repeal Act, 2021 received the assent of the President on November 30, said a gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)