'Govt always ready for talks': Thakur makes fresh appeal to farmers

Union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday appealed to protesting farmers to resume negotiations with the Centre even as the agriculturists postponed a decision on whether to accept the government's fresh invitation for a fifth round of talks on their demands.

- Zia Haq

"It is my request to all demonstrators that they do not follow the path of violence. The government is always ready to hold talks with farmers on whatever their organisations want to discuss," Thakur told reporters.

"We were ready for talks earlier and are ready even today and will be ready to discuss their issues even in future," he added, stressing that the Narendra Modi government has taken several measures to boost farmers' incomes.

Agriculture minister Arjun Munda, too, on Wednesday invited farm unions for another round of talks, which now appears to be in jeopardy after the death of a 21-year-old protester at Khanauri along the Punjab-Haryana border.