Agriculture Minister Tomar likely to have another round of meeting with farmers soon

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar is expected to meet farmer unions agitating at the borders of the national capital for repeal of three farm laws in a day or two, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday.

The statement from the home minister comes even as the farmers have decided to observe a day-long relay hunger strike on Monday at all sites of protest. The agitating farmers are also expected to halt toll collection on highways in Haryana from December 25 to 27.

Several rounds of talks with farmers' representatives have failed to break the deadlock. "I am not exactly aware of the timing, but Tomar is likely to meet the representatives of farmers tomorrow or the day after to discuss their demands," Shah told a press conference.

Thousands of farmers are camping at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for nearly four weeks demanding repeal of three farm laws enacted by the Narendra Modi government.

Meanwhile, farmers in Punjab and Haryana observed 'Shradhanjali Diwas' on Sunday to pay homage to their brethren who died during the ongoing agitation against the farm laws. Farmers' bodies have claimed that over 30 farmers participating in the stir have died so far due to different reasons, including heart attack and in road accidents.

"At several places in Punjab, tributes were paid to farmers who died during this agitation," Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said.

Farmer leaders said they will not let the "sacrifice" of farmers in this fight against the "black laws" go in vain.

—With PTI inputs