The seventh round of talks between protesting unions and three central ministers ended inconclusively on Monday as the farmer leaders insisted on the repeal of the three contentious farm laws right from the beginning, even as the government listed various benefits from the Acts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked his Council of Ministers to make extra efforts for effective implementation of public welfare schemes at the ground level and work on new ideas in their ministries ahead of the budget.
As soon as the Zero Hour commenced at noon, AIADMK and TDP members trooped in the Well, raising slogans and carrying banners demanding stalling of a dam on river Cauvery and special state status to Andhra Pradesh respectively.
The shock defeat of BJP's chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal has thrown open the leadership race in Himachal Pradesh and brought back Health Minister Nadda into contention.
Countering the opposition claim that farmers across the country are agitated over the three new laws, he said that those in just one state are being misinformed and instigated.
'Why should the government keep these laws on hold for 1.5 years when they are so disastrous for the interests and well-being of farmers?'
He also accused Pakistan of wanting to destabilise and weaken India through terrorism.
Farmer leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan said told reporters after the meeting that the unions urged the government to repeal the three laws, but the Centre was unwilling to do so. "We decided to meet again on January 19 at 12 pm," he said.
A day after the Supreme Court ruled that it was up to the prime minister to not induct those with criminal record into his Cabinet, Rediff.com examines how serious are the charges against some of Narendra Modi's ministers.
Tomar had discussed the two proposals with trade unions on June 24 and assured that the government will take at least two weeks to take a decision.
During the 16th Lok Sabha, 180 bills were passed and 45 ordinances promulgated.
Farmer leaders on Monday started their day-long hunger strike against the Centre's new farm laws and said protests will be held at all district headquarters later in the day, even as more people are expected to join the ongoing agitation at Delhi border points.
'Now that the home minister met us to discuss our demands a hope has definitely been kindled that farmers's demands will be met by this government.'
Farmer leaders said the government sought more time for internal consultations to present a final proposal in the next meeting to resolve the issue.
Farmer leader Darshan Pal accused the Centre of dividing farmer organisations, but it will not happen.
As many as 48 ministers of National Democratic Allaince government were in the fray in the general elections.
The government has also extended till August 31 the repayment date of short-term crop loan of up to Rs 3 lakh for agriculture and allied activities. The decision, taken by the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will give respite to farmers and also help them take a call on which kharif (summer) crop to grow as sowing picks up with the arrival of southwest monsoon.
In politics, if your objective is only winning elections, just Chanakya neeti might do. For governance you need both, Chanakya neeti and Ram Rajya. You can neither beat up the farmers into submission, nor dismiss them as 'Khalistanis', asserts Shekhar Gupta.
The polling for the sixth phase on May 12 covers 6 states and one Union Territory.
With assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh nearing, the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has been expressing confidence of winning for the third consecutive term, is facing dissidence over ticket distribution to some sitting members of Legislative Assembly, party sources said.
The government's negotiations with protesting farm unions hit a roadblock on Friday as the farmer leaders stuck to their demands for a complete repeal of three farm laws they find pro-corporate and a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP), even as the Centre asked them to reconsider its proposal for putting the Acts on hold for 12-18 months.
Sources said the new heads of the party in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh will be announced soon.
Tomar said the union leaders kept insisting on repeal of the three farm laws, but the government side tried to explain them the benefits of the Acts and sought to know specific problems faced by the farmers.
'Our demand is simple: Those private players (to whom 94 per cent of the farmers sell their produce) should also buy our produce at the MSP.'
Union leaders, who came out of the meeting venue shouting slogans, said the talks remained deadlocked and some of them threatened to boycott any further meetings if no solution was found at Thursday's meeting.
Posco will have to bid for an iron ore licence to feed its plant.
The Korean company's proposed 12 million tonne per annum project at Jagatsinghpur district in Odisha is stalled for about a decade.
Thakur's name was proposed by Suresh Bharadwaj and Mahender Singh and seconded by other members.
The Telugu Desam Party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam continued to raise the issue of the dam over the River Cauvery and special status for Andhra Pradesh in both the Houses. While the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day soon after it met at 11.00 am, the Lok Sabha saw repeated adjournments, but managed to pass the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill amid the din.
Nath had said in Bhopal, "Lot of industries are set up in which people from other states, like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, come to work. I do not want to criticise them, but the youth of Madhya Pradesh are deprived (of jobs)."
The two Houses were adjourned for the day amid sparring between the treasury and the opposition benches on the issue.
No sooner had the House paid its respects to the nine persons who laid down their lives 17 years back when terrorist attacked the Parliament House complex and the listed papers presented, members belonging to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam trooped into the well of the House shouting slogans.
In a surprise move, the Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to filed Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan from the Vidisha seat along with Budhni, from where he has already filed his nomination for the assembly election.
The Congress expressed its 'whole-hearted' support to the 'Bharat bandh' called by farmer unions against the new agri-marketing laws and announced that it will hold protests that day at all district and state headquarters in solidarity with the demands of the farmers. TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said the party rank and file would actively participate in the bandh to ensure it was a success.
Hema Malini and Shaina NC have also been omitted from the group.
A bill to auction coal mines is also likely to be passed later.
Modi said the newly-sworn in government took four major decisions related to farmers' and traders welfare in the first meeting of the Union Cabinet.
The ravines, which are sharp, steep mud hillocks, stretch over three states - Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, once home to several dreaded dacoits have long been the subject of several projects and government schemes to make them agriculturally viable.
BJP candidate was attacked in West Bengal, EVM glitches were reported in New Delhi.
It also pledged to give interest free crop loan of up to Rs 3 lakh to farmers.
