Agriculture Minister Appeals To Farmers To Call Off Protest As COVID Cases Spike

Thousands of farmers have been protesting against the three new agri-marketing laws for nearly five months now, braving the raging pandemic and months of harsh Delhi winters.

As India continues to register a spike in cases of coronavirus, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar today appealed to the protesting farmers at the Delhi borders to call off their months-long agitation, saying that the government is ready for a discussion as soon as they come with a concrete proposal. Thousands of farmers have been protesting against the three new agri-marketing laws for nearly five months now, braving the raging pandemic and months of harsh Delhi winters. There has been no headway in the logjam over the issue since January 22, when the 11th and the last round of formal talks happened between the Central government and the protesting farmer unions. Narendra Singh Tomar expressed concers about the farmers'' health and well-being as India witnessed a record surge of over 1.45 lakh coronavirus cases today. "Now in the second wave of the pandemic, the entire nation and the world is following COVID-19 protocols. Even protesting farmers should follow protocols. Their life is important for us," Mr Tomar said.