Government ready for talks: Tomar

New Delhi: As farmers intensified their agitation against the Centre's three farm laws and observed a day-long fast on Monday, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the Union government is engaging with farmer leaders to decide on the next date of talks.

"The meeting will definitely happen. We are engaging with farmers," Tomar said. The government is ready for discussion anytime. The farmer leaders have to "decide and convey" when they are ready for the next meeting, he added.

Meanwhile, Farmers raised slogans outside the offices of district commissioners and took out protest marches in Punjab and Haryana on Monday, following a nationwide call given by their unions against the new central laws.

In Punjab, protests were held in several districts including Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala, Bathinda, Moga, Faridkot, Ferozepur and Tarn Taran. In Haryana, protests were reported from Fatehabad, Jind, Sirsa, Kurukshetra, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Bhiwani, Kaithal and Ambala. As the stir at Delhi borders protesting the Centre's contentious agriculture laws entered Day 19, the heads of 32 farmer unions started a hunger strike from 8 am as part of their plan to intensify their agitation from Monday.

However, leaders of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), who had organised an event to demand the release of jailed activists last week, have decided to distance themselves from the strike call. Sukhdev Singh, Punjab general secretary of BKU Ekta Ugrahan, said that Ugrahan leaders will not observe fast. "We will not participate (in one-day hunger strike)," Sukhdev said.