Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar invites leaders of farmer unions for talks on Tuesday
Centre prepones meeting with protesting farmers to Dec 1 after they vow 'decisive battle'
New Delhi, Nov 30: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has invited leaders of farmer unions, protesting the three central farm reform laws, for talks on Tuesday, instead of December 3, citing the COVID-19 pandemic and cold.
Thousands of farmers stayed put at various Delhi border points for the fifth consecutive day on Monday protesting the new farm laws, which they fear will dismantle the minimum support price system and corporatise farming.
"Keeping in view the cold and COVID-19, we have invited leaders of farmer unions for discussion much before the scheduled December 3 meeting,".
Now, the meeting has been called at 3 pm on December 1 at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital, he said, adding those leaders who were present in the meeting held on November 13 have been invited this time.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal has also written to representatives of 32 farmer unions, including the Krantikari Kisan Union, Jammuhari Kisan Sabha, Bhartiya Kisan Sabha (Dakauda), Kul Hind Kisan Sabha, Kriti Kisan Union and Punjab Kisan Union, inviting them for discussion on December 1.
The November 13 meeting was inconclusive and the Union Agriculture Ministry had invited them for a second round of discussion on December 3 to resolve their concerns about new farm laws.
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Karnataka HC permits Bangalore Hotel Association to serve free food to voters after polling
Bengaluru: The High Court has given the go-ahead to the Bangalore Hotel Association to serve food for free to customers who visit the member-restaurants after casting their votes in the Lok Sabha elections in the city.
The single-judge bench of the High Court, consisting of Justice M Nagaprasanna, heard the case on Wednesday and gave a judgement in favour of the Association.
The Association, which has come up with the offer in coordination with Hotel Nisarga Grand, had clarified earlier that it was offering free food to customers in order to promote voting and help Bengaluru record a high voter turnout. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), however, had challenged in court the Association's application seeking permission to give free food to customers who have voted.
The advocate representing the Association during the hearing on Wednesday told the High Court that the offer was not made to customers with an intention of political gain but only aimed at promoting voter turnout on the day of polling. "The Association has given free food to the voters after polling and requests the High Court to permit it to do so this year too," the lawyer asked the bench.
Justice Nagaprasanna, who heard the arguments presented by both parties, opined that the efforts of the Association at ensuring a high voter turnout were laudable. He passed a judgement permitting hotel owners who were members of the Association to provide voters food for free after they cast their ballots.
