Haryana CM meets Tomar, discusses farmers' protest

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar called on Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday and discussed the farmers' protest against new farm laws that entered the 24th day.

The meeting comes a day after BJP leader and former Union minister Chaudhary Birender Singh joined a protest in support of the farmers at Haryana's Rohtak.

The dharna was organised by the members of the Sir Chhotu Ram Manch. Singh is the grandson of Sir Chhotu Ram, a prominent Jat leader of the pre-independence era who championed the interests of farmers.

This is the second time the Haryana chief minister met Tomar at his residence since the protests broke out, a state government official told PTI, adding that he had met the Union minister earlier on December 8.

The two leaders are believed to have discussed the ongoing protest at Delhi's borders and the way forward to resolve the issue at the earliest, sources said.

Farmers from different parts of the country, including Haryana and Punjab, have been camping at various border points of Delhi for three weeks to demand a repeal of three recent farm laws.

They worry that these laws will eliminate the safety net of the minimum support price (MSP), do away with the "mandi" (wholesale market) system and leave them at the "mercy of big corporates", apprehensions the government has been insisting are misplaced.