Tomar meets Shah after protesting farmers reject govt's draft proposal

New Delhi, Dec 09: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Wednesday met Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the next course of action after farmer leaders rejected the Centre's draft proposal to amend the new agri laws, sources said.

The government, in its proposal circulated among the leaders on Wednesday, offered to amend seven to eight issues, including providing a written assurance of minimum support price. It also appealed to protesting farmers to end the agitation that's been going on nearly two weeks now at various border points of the national capital.

The sources said the Agriculture Minister was believed to have discussed with the Home Minister a possible way to end the stalemate after the farm unions rejected the government's draft proposal.

Minister of Railways, Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal was also present in the meeting.

A select group of farm leaders, after the meeting with Shah on Tuesday night, had made it clear that they would not accept any amendments and would continue to protest unless the government repeals all three farm laws.

Speaking to PTI, general secretary of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Dakaunda) Jagmohan Singh said: "We have rejected the government's proposal. We are planning to send a rejoinder to the central government."

Singh, however, said farmer leaders were open for dialogue.

"We will come for the meeting if the government invites, but our demand should be met. It has become a mass movement. We cannot return to our villages with empty hands," he added.