Farmers' protest: Offer to suspend farm laws for 18 months stands, says PM Modi at all-party meet

During the all-party meeting on Saturday (January 30), Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that smaller parties (having fewer MPs in Parliament) should get an ample amount of time to present their views and issues pertaining to their states, according to Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi.

While talking to the media, the minister gave details about the all-party meeting. "During all-party meetings, smaller parties demanded that they should get an ample amount of time to put forth issues pertaining to their states, to which PM Modi said that the government agrees to it. He urged all the big parties including BJP not to disrupt the house as when the house is disrupted, most of the harm is done to small political parties as their time gets deducted. PM Modi said that everyone should appeal that the house should continue to function without disruption," Joshi said.

Joshi said that all-party meeting has been conducted in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

"Almost all parties participated in the meeting. Opposition parties have demanded a discussion on Farm laws and farmers' issues. We agreed. In the end, the Prime Minister said that the offer which has been given by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on January 22 still stands and the government is ready for the discussion on all issues," Joshi said.

Joshi said, "In eleventh round of Centre-farmer negotiation, we had said that government is open for discussion. Agriculture Minister had said that he is just a phone call away. Whenever you give a call he is ready for discussion. It still stands good. This is what PM said (in the all-party meet)."

On January 22, during the 11th round of talks with protesting farmers, the government proposed to suspend the new legislations for one-and-a-half years and also proposed to set up a joint committee to discuss the Acts.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said, "The PM said that in today’s global scenario, India can make great contributions to the world. It will lead to the development and the poor will be benefited with that development. It is not a question of credit to the government but of the success of the nation.""So PM said that everyone must make an effort together to make contributions. The govt is ready for all discussions required for this, the PM said. Almost all parties congratulated PM for the successful rollout of vaccination," he added.

Joshi said that PM Modi has strongly condemned the vandalism of Mahatma Gandhi statue in the US (in California). "This is a huge insult. The PM has strongly condemned it," Joshi said. The Minister further said that leaders of all the parties congratulated PM Modi for the successful roll-out of vaccination drive.