Visuals from inside Vigyan Bhavan showed the two ministers being served langar
New Delhi:
Union ministers Narendra Tomar and Piyush Goyal joined the farmers for lunch during today’s negotiations which has been described as a “decisive meeting”.
Visuals from inside Vigyan Bhavan, where the sixth round of negotiations are being held, showed the two ministers being served the langar – community meals – that the farmers bring from outside.
So far, during every round of meeting that fell through, the farmers have consistently refused to partake of the lunch offered by the government. They always had langar, brought in by a waiting van.
“They offered us food, we denied and are having our langar, which we have brought with us,” a farmer leader had said during the meeting held in November. “We are not accepting food or tea offered by the government,” another farmer leader had said.
On several occasions, they have asked the participating ministers to join them — invitations that have been politely refused.
The government has been hoping for a breakthrough in this round that would help resolve the protests that have been raging at the borders of Delhi since the end of November.
Ahead of the meeting, Union minister Som Prakash, who is part of the three-member team conducting the negotiations, said it would be “decisive” and the government wants them to “celebrate New Year at their homes”.
