With the farmers camping on highways outside Delhi refusing to back down or move to the site designated for the protest, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar met Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday morning.
Hours earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that his government had no intention of deceiving the farmers, and that the new farm laws were meant to give them “new options and legal protection”.
The Prime Minister once again accused the Opposition of misleading the farmers.
“I know that decades of falsehood does create apprehensions in the minds of farmers… I want to say this from the bank of Mother Ganga — we are not working with the intention of deceiving. Our intentions are as holy as the water of the Ganga,” Modi said in Varanasi while inaugurating a project to six-lane the 73-km Varanasi-Prayagraj National Highway.
“Earlier, decisions of the government were opposed, now there is a new trend… Rumours have become the basis for opposition. Propaganda is spread that although the decision is right, it can lead to other consequences, about things that haven't happened or will never happen. It’s a game that is deliberately played by those who have fooled the farmers for decades,” Modi said.
He reiterated his commitment to the cause of the farmers, a constituency the BJP has been nurturing, and from whom it has received significant support in recent elections.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference at the Singhu border, representatives of farmer unions said they would continue to block Delhi's borders till their demand was met. “We know that November-December is a very important period for farmers. Many of us have left our farms to come here and protest. Our demands remain the same since the first day — the laws must be taken back. This is non-negotiable. This protest is by farmers, and it is above any religion. This is becoming a bigger movement and the government needs to listen," said Shiv Kumar, coordinator, Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangh, who is representing farmers from Madhya Pradesh.
Security remains heightened at the Delhi-Haryana border at Tikri as farmers, who are opposing the three central farm laws, stayed put at the Delhi border points for the third consecutive day today. Thousands of farmers were allowed to enter the national capital on Friday evening after clashes with the police, who used tear gas, water cannons and lathis to block their march from Haryana.
READ | Farmers' protest: In Delhi, Congress lends hand; in Punjab, its fingers crossed
Read| Leveraging blockade, ensuring Centre can’t ignore: Why farmers rejected Burari
READ | As numbers swell, committees to manage crowd, stage, funds and food
READ | MLA quits as Haryana body chief, ‘khaps extend support’ to protest
READ | At protest site, farmers want govt to give MSP guarantee ‘in writing’
Coming forward in support of agitating farmers, transporters' apex body AIMTC on Wednesday threatened to halt operations in northern India from December 8 if the government fails to address concerns of the farming community. The All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) is the apex body of transporters, representing about 95 lakh truckers and other entities. "AIMTC has already extended its support to the farmer agitation from day one. We have decided on stopping our operations strategically starting from North India and if the government does not address the issue of the farmers then we may decide to go for shutting down of transport operations nationwide in their support," AIMTC President Kultaran Singh Atwal said. Atwal said the road transport fraternity of the country has extended its full support to farmers who are 'ann daata' (food providers). (PTI)
Hundreds of members of the AAP's women's wing and party volunteers on Wednesday formed a human chain at the ITO intersection here in solidarity with farmers camping at the national capital's borders to protest the Centre's three agriculture reform laws. The demonstration was led by the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) women's wing president Nirmala Kumari. (PTI)
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Away from the comfort of their homes and undeterred by the winter chill, farmers camping at Delhi's Singhu border against the Centre's agriculture reform laws say they are prepared for a long haul and will not leave until their demands are met.
Police used water cannons Wednesday as Punjab Youth Congress workers jumped barricades trying to march to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's home here, protesting over the new farm laws.
Punjab Youth Congress president Barinder Dhillon and several others were taken into custody by the Chandigarh Police. The activists wanted to 'gherao' Khattar's home to protest against the use of water cannons and teargas against Punjab farmers last week, when the Haryana Police had tried to stop them from entering the state to continue their 'Delhi Chalo' march.
"We came here to wake up the Khattar government," Dhillon told reporters. "We will continue to fight till the farmers get justice," he said, appealing to all sections of society to support the agitation.
Ahead of the second round of talks between the Centre and the representatives of protesting farmers tomorrow, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held deliberations with Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal here on Wednesday on ways to dispel concerns over the new farm laws.
"Let's see to what extent issues can be resolved," Tomar said.
Farmer leader Darshan Pal on Wednesday said that the farmers will continue their agitation till the three farm laws are repealed. He said Centre should call special session of Parliament to repeal new farm laws.
Another farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chadoni said that they will have to take more steps if the government does not fulfil their demands. "Will block other roads of Delhi if govt does not withdraw new three farm laws, say leaders of protesting farmers at press conference," he added.
A day after Punjab CM Amarinder Singh hit out at AAP saying they had exhibited “shocking double standards on the farmers’ protest”, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused him of doing 'low-lever politics.'"Punjab CM has made allegations against me that I've passed the black laws in Delhi. How can he do such low-level politics in this fragile situation? It's not up to State govt to implement it. Had it been so why would farmers of country hold talks with Centre," he said.
"The reason behind Captain sahab's allegation is that we did not allow the nine stadiums in Delhi to be converted into jails. Centre had plans to put the farmers in these stadiums. They're upset with me as I didn't give permission for making them jails," he added.
Kejriwal also said that Singh had several chances to stop farm bills but did not do so.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked the Centre over its claim of doubling farmers' income and alleged that their income has in fact "halved" under the "suit-boot" government, while that of its crony friends has grown four times. He also demanded that the government abolishes the three "black" farm laws which are against farmers and farm labourers and asked it not to befool them with rhetoric. No immediate response was available from the government. Gandhi's remarks come at a time when farmers from Punjab and Haryana are protesting at the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders of the national capital against the Centre's new agriculture reform laws.
An advocate in Punjab's Zirakpur area has sent a legal notice to actor Kangana Ranaut, demanding an apology for a tweet in which she had falsely identified an old woman at a farmers' protest as Shaheen Bagh's 'Bilkis Dadi'. The notice demands the actor to tender an apology within seven days. Ranaut posted the picture of Mohinder Kaur (73), a resident of village Bahadurgarh Jandian of Bathinda, claiming that she was the same "Dadi" who was part of Shaheen Bagh protest and now had joined the farmers’ stir. The tweet alleged that she was available for protests for Rs 100. The actor later deleted her tweet after she was slammed for sharing "fake news".
Police use water cannon on Punjab Youth Congress workers who have gheraoed Haryana CM ML Khattar's residence, demanding an apology from him for alleged use of force against protesting farmers.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked the Centre over its claim of doubling farmers' income and alleged that their income has in fact "halved" under the 'suit-boot sarkar', while that of its crony friends has grown four times.
"They said farmers income will be doubled. What they did was increase incomes of 'friends' four times and those of farmers will be halved. This suit-boot government is of lies and loot," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi. The Congress leader also shared a video of the atrocities and use of force against the protesting farmers with a voice-over of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech saying his government was taking steps to resolve the problems faced by farmers and double their income.
Mohinder Kaur (73), a resident of village Bahadurgarh Jandian of Bathinda, has around 13 acres of land which she once tilled herself after her husband was diagnosed with asthma. Kaur came into limelight after actor Kangana Ranaut recently tweeted her picture claiming that she was the same "Dadi" who was part of Shaheen Bagh protest and now had joined the farmers’ stir. The tweet alleged that she was available for protests for Rs 100.
While the actor deleted the tweet after she was slammed for sharing fake news, Mohinder Kaur said, "I was told some actor wrote about me like this. She never visited my house, never saw what I am doing and she said that ‘I am available at Rs 100’. Bhot buri gal hai...assi ki karne hai 100 rupaye.” Kaur, who has a hunched back, said that farming is very difficult and that’s the reason that she had been going to morchas to support farmers. “I am also a farmer. I have been going to petrol pumps to stage dharnas on a regular basis," she said. Kaur said, "I can go to Delhi even now. I have that enthusiasm .. I am active enough to be part of farmers' agitation."
Farmers have been protesting against the recently enacted farm laws by converging on Delhi's highways connected to neighbouring states. The agitation is primarily led by Punjab farmers, although some other groups have also joined. The Indian Express opinion pages carry two pieces where experts write about the ongoing farmer protests.
Bridging the communication gap, according to Ashok Gulati, and winning the farmers’ trust, according to Sukhpal Singh, are the key aspects.
Two young women from Chandigarh, Gursahiba Gill and Gurpreet Bhatti, who have been working together on many projects of social consequences, especially for women empowerment, health and hygiene, have come forward to garner the support for the protesting farmers. “We were contacted by Gaurav Deep, Chairperson, Initiative of Change, an organisation based in Ludhiana. He is in touch with the farmers and talked to us about how they need basic medicines, first aid kits and relief material and we decided to use our experience to contribute to the cause,” shares 24-year-old Gill, who has a Master’s in psychology.
Bhatti, 23, who is doing law from PU says the increasing demand for basic medicines for fever, cough, cold, allergy, painkillers, sprains, aches and pains…and also basic necessities like milk powder, cotton, disinfectants have been growing among the protesting farmers.
From advising farmers not to mistake Delhi for “Lahore or Karachi”, to ridiculing farmers showing black flags to them, several Haryana BJP leaders dismissed the farmers' agitation through controversial statements while defending the three contentious farm laws at different functions on Tuesday. Read more
Meanwhile, JJP chief Ajay Singh Chautala, the father of Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, said the Centre should consider inclusion of MSPs in the farm laws. "What is the problem in writing one line?" Ajay Chautala said. Dushyant's younger brother and JJP leader Digvijay said the JJP would decide its "future strategy" depending on talks between farmers and the Centre. Read more
The farmers' agitation has got the staunch support of the NRI community. In Toronto, a ‘kisan rally’ was organised in support of farmers where they went from Bramalea GO station to the Consulate General of India, expressing solidarity for Indian farmers. Meetings are being conducted in different parts of Melbourne to extend support to farmers, while a car rally will be organised in Canada's Brampton and Birsbane’s City Hall in Australia on December 5.
On November 28, more than 300 NRIs had gathered in Baba Vidhi Chand Gurdwara Sahib Packanum, Victoria, where they also announced their decision to “boycott” Sunny Deol and his family, as well as Gurdas Mann. Some also stood outside Parliament to ask MPs to raise their voices for farmers.
With vehicle movement already blocked at Singhu and Tikri borders, Tuesday afternoon also saw hundreds of farmers gather at the Chilla border between Delhi and Noida, forcing police to stop vehicles from plying there too. “Chilla border that links Delhi to UP through Noida has been closed. Drivers who want to go to Noida can take U-turn from under Ghazipur-Akshardham flyover and also through Sarai Kale Khan,” the Delhi Traffic Police tweeted.
Ganesh Saha, DCP Traffic in Noida, said: “Except the border is Chilla, all routes towards Noida, including DND, have normal traffic. We are constantly updating traffic situations through videos and photos as several people have queries. We have also issued a helpline number in case people have questions. We will issue directions in case there is any protest at the borders.” People can contact 9971009001 or visit the official handle of Noida Traffic Police for updates.
Parties in most negotiations tend to start by taking maximalist positions. It isn’t any different in the current standoff between the Centre and farmer unions over the three agricultural reform legislations.
From a bargaining standpoint, the farmers are probably better placed at the current moment. In Punjab and Haryana, not only has harvesting of the kharif paddy been completed, even sowing of wheat for the new rabi season is virtually over. Most farmers have also done their first round of urea application and irrigation, which takes place 2-3 weeks after sowing.
It means they have some free time for agitation, which wasn’t the case till 15-20 days ago. Punjab and Haryana farmers generally plant their wheat before mid-November. This relative leeway in wheat may not be available for sugarcane growers in neighbouring western Uttar Pradesh. Sugar mills have really started crushing operations for the new 2020-21 season only after Diwali. UP farmers are, therefore, busy now in harvesting cane, which is their main cash crop.
This “free time” for now, especially with Punjab and Haryana farmers, is something that the Modi government may not have fully anticipated. The timing of their laying siege to the national capital – well after marketing of paddy and sowing of wheat – and ability to stay put for at least the next few weeks could well work to the protestors’ advantage. Read more
Farmers receive support from Australia
Moving to resolve the standoff with farmers protesting at the gates of Delhi against newly enacted farm laws, the Centre opened talks Tuesday with farmer representatives who, while not warming up to its suggestion of forming a committee to look into their demands, agreed to continue the dialogue.
Following the meeting that lasted three-and-half hours in Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who led the talks with the farmers, told reporters: “The meeting was good, and we have decided to hold the next round of talks on December 3. We wanted a small group to be constituted, but the farmer leaders wanted the talks to be held with everyone. We do not have a problem with it.”
Tomar, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State (Commerce and Industry) Som Prakash spoke to representatives of 35 farmer unions who have been camping for the last six days at Delhi’s borders.
The Shiromani Akali Dal on Tuesday blamed the Centre for the failure of talks with farmer leaders, saying it was deliberately prolonging the negotiation process with the aim of tiring out the farmers. The SAD, which had quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance over the new farm legislation in September, cautioned the farmers' organisations against alleged "conspiracies to trap them with misleading and vague commitments through tricks like setting up a committee". Setting up a committee is merely a part of delaying tactics to tire the farmers out, the party alleged in a release here. "The BJP is trying to create divisions in the organisations and may have unleashed agents to accomplish this task. Farmers must be vigilant against such dangerous moves and stay united under all circumstances. Their success depends on their unity and on their success depends on the future of our country," it said. PTI
The Shiromani Akali Dal on Tuesday blamed the Centre for the failure of talks with farmer leaders, saying it was deliberately prolonging the negotiation process with the aim of tiring out the farmers. The SAD, which had quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance over the new farm legislation in September, cautioned the farmers' organisations against alleged "conspiracies to trap them with misleading and vague commitments through tricks like setting up a committee". Setting up a committee is merely a part of delaying tactics to tire the farmers out, the party alleged in a release here. "The BJP is trying to create divisions in the organisations and may have unleashed agents to accomplish this task. Farmers must be vigilant against such dangerous moves and stay united under all circumstances. Their success depends on their unity and on their success depends on the future of our country," it said. PTI
The AAP on Tuesday hit back at Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh accusing him of joining hands with the BJP over his attack on the Delhi government's notification of one of three farm laws of the Centre being stiffly opposed by the farmers. The Punjab unit of AAP in a statement alleged that Singh was a "BJP's CM" and making "false allegations" against Arvind Kejriwal. "Captain Amarinder Singh and BJP have joined hands to make completely false allegations that the Delhi government has passed the black farm laws," the statement said. Singh lashed out at the AAP for issuing the notification to implement the "draconian" farm laws in Delhi, saying the party did it in the "midst of the crisis" while "pretending" to be standing with the farmers.
While talks between protesting farmer organisations and the government started Tuesday, the Singhu and Tikri borders remained shut for commuters. The border between Noida and Delhi (at Chilla) was also blocked by protesters by evening. The Singhu border connects north Delhi with Sonepat through the GT Karnal Highway, which is used by commuters to travel to Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The Tikri border is near Mundka in West Delhi. The farmer protest started on November 26, and movement at both borders has been hampered since. On Tuesday hundreds of farmers gathered on Tuesday afternoon at the Chilla border between the Delhi- Noida border, forcing police to stop the traffic movement. Police have diverted the traffic movement at the Chilla border, stopping the protestors from moving towards the national capital. The Delhi and Noida traffic police have advised commuters to take alternative routes. "The Chilla border that links Delhi to UP through Noida has been closed. Those drivers who want to go to Noida can take U-turn from under the Ghazipur-Akshardham flyover and also through Sarai Kale Khan," the Delhi Traffic Police tweeted.
The government has asked farmers' bodies to identify specific issues related to the three new farm laws and submit those by Wednesday for consideration and discussion in the next round of talks on Thursday, an official statement said after a nearly three-hour-long meeting remained inconclusive.
"During the deliberations, the Union Agriculture Minister proposed to constitute an expert committee to put forth the issues of farmers so as to resolve them with mutual consent but the representative of the farmers' unions suggested that all the representatives will attend a further round of discussions with the Government to resolve the matter amicably," the statement said.
During the interaction, the government suggested to the farmer representatives "to identify the specific issues related to Farm Reform Acts and share with the government on December 2 for consideration. These issues will be discussed during the fourth round of meeting to be held on December 3." (PTI)
Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal are holding a meeting with farmers' leaders from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, at Krishi Bhawan. Bharatiya Kisan Union representatives are also present. The government had held talks with farmers from Punjab earlier in the day.
Due to Kisan agitation in Punjab, train movement has been affected and hence, few trains have been diverted and certain trains have been short terminated & accordingly short originated: CPRO, Western Railway
Students from various universities in Delhi on Tuesday joined the farmers protesting at Singhu and Tikri borders and expressed solidarity with them in their fight against the Centre's new farm laws. The protesters part of a student outfit, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), demanded that three farm legislations should be revoked unconditionally and the BJP government at the Centre should apologise to the people for introducing such "anti-people laws".
"We have launched agitations in different states in solidarity with the on-going movement and to bring to the fore the issues being faced especially by the most exploited section -- agricultural workers in the farming sector.
"Through the enactment of new laws, the BJP government is aiming to benefit the corporates and rich farmers, and completely pauperize the small-marginal farmers and agricultural workers," the KYS said in a statement. (PTI)
Farmers block Noida-Delhi border, leading to heavy traffic jam on Tuesday. (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey)
"Our movement against Farm Laws will continue and we will definitely take back something from the government, be it bullets or a peaceful solution. We'll come back for more discussions with them," Chanda Singh, Member of Farmers' Delegation who met Union Agriculture Minister today. (ANI)
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the meeting with farmers' leaders was good and the government has decided that further talks would be held on December 3. "We wanted a small group to be constituted but farmers' leaders wanted that the talks should be held with everyone, we do not have problem with it," ANI quoted him as saying.
"We appeal to the farmers to suspend the protests and come for the talks. However, this decision depends on farmers' unions and farmers," he added.
The meeting between the farmers' leaders and the Union Government has concluded. Thirty-six farm unions held talks with Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Piyush Goyal, Som Parkash over the contentious farm laws at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The next round of talks will be held on December 3.
Union Minister VK Singh: Many of the people in pictures do not appear to be farmers. What is in the interest of farmers has been done. It's not the farmers who have a problem with this (farm laws), but others. Besides opposition, people who get commission are behind it (protest). (ANI)
Members of NSUI, the Congress' student wing, appealed to the tricity residents to come forward and support the Farmers protest at Delhi border, during a protest at Matka Chowk on Madhya Marg Chandigarh.
Chilla border (Delhi-Noida Link Road) closed in wake of protesting farmers blocking Delhi to UP Link Road.
No other political party supported BJP on farm laws issue; but the party is adamant on bulldozing it: Mamata Banerjee on farmers' protest (PTI)
Makkal Needhi Maiam chief and actor Kamal Haasan says Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have a dialogue with farmers agitating in Delhi and redress their grievances. (PTI)
Ajay Chautala, founder of Jannayak Janta Party, BJP’s ally in the Haryana government, said, “The Centre should consider the demands of farmers. A unanimous solution should be implemented quickly to put an end to farmers’ trouble. The central government should also consider including MSP into the Act.”
Police detain Shaheen Bagh activist Bilkis Dadi who reached Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border) to join the farmers' protest, ANI reported.
Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal hold meeting with farmers' leaders at Vigyan Bhawan.
Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Piyush Goyal, Som Parkash to meet representatives of over 30 protesting farmer organisations. "We'll discuss how to resolve their issues; Govt will reach solution after hearing them," Agriculture Minister Tomar said before meeting farmers. (PTI)
Delegation of the farmers' union wave as they arrive for a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture at the Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi a short while ago. (Express Photograph by Tashi Tobgyal)
Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad joins farmers' protest at Ghazipur. "Don't stop fighting until the government listens to all your demands," he said.
The Ministry of External Affairs has reacted sharply to comments made by Canadian leaders in view of farmers' protest in India.
“We have seen some ill-informed comments by Canadian leaders relating to farmers in India. Such comments are unwarranted, especially when pertaining to the internal affairs of a democratic country," MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastav said.
"It is also best that diplomatic conversations are not misrepresented for political purposes," he added.
Special prayers were held at all gurdwaras in the national capital on Tuesday morning for success of the ongoing farmers' protest against the new agri laws, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjinder Singh Sirsa said. The 'ardas' was held at all the gurdwaras for fulfilment of the demands of protesting farmers, Sirsa said. "The DSGMC also condemns those, including the BJP leaders, who are alleging that the protesting farmers are Khalistanis and terrorists," he said after attending a prayer at Bangla Sahib gurdwara. "A farmer received information of his soldier son's death in Kashmir while staging the protest. Can such people be called terrorists?" Sirsa asked. (PTI)
A day after he resigned as chairman of the Haryana Livestock Development Board, independent MLA Sombir Sangwan withdrew his support to the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government Tuesday in view of the farmers' protest. In a letter addressed to the Speaker of Haryana Legislative Assembly, Sangwan stated he cannot support a government that is against the farmers and "commits atrocities" against them. An independent MLA from Dadri constituency, Sangwan had extended support to the BJP-JJP government and was appointed as chairman of the board one and half months ago.
For BJP, name-calling may be a tried, tested way to trash Punjab farmers’ protest. But it is unwise and fraught with risk
The BJP needs to tread especially carefully also because it lost a crucial interlocutor after the breakup of its long alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal recently. The partnership with the SAD was a way for the BJP to gain a foothold and expand in a state dominated by the Congress and the regional party — but it also served a larger political purpose. After the insurgency of the 1980s, the coming together of the “Hindutva” and “panthic” parties became symbolic of the forging and revival of a syncretic culture, a Punjabiyat larger than the sum of the two state’s two main communities. If the SAD was still with the BJP, if the Modi ministry still had a SAD representative — it withdrew its minister and walked out of the alliance over the same farm laws that are at the heart of the current discontent — the Centre might have found it easier to communicate with a protest dominated by Sikh farmers from Punjab, the path to a dialogue arguably softened and eased by the social coalition brought together by the political pact.
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday attacked the BJP over the issue of farm laws, charging that under its guise there is a "conspiracy" to grab lands of farmers. The former UP chief minister also accused the government of giving false promises of doubling income of farmers. "We, who do agriculture, clearly understand the conspiracy of grabbing lands of farmers under the guise of farm laws by giving 'jumla' (false promise) of doubling the income. We are struggling as usual with our farmer brothers, so that the structure protecting the MSP, market and agriculture remains intact. BJP is over now!," Yadav said in a tweet in Hindi.
Thirty-six farm unions accepted the Centre's invitation for talks and will attend the meeting today. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will initiate the first rounds of talks with protesting farmers who have been camping at Delhi's borders for six days now. While 32 unions belong to farmers from Punjab, two representatives from Haryana, Yogendra Yadav from AIKSCC and another leader from Uttar Pradesh will attend the talks.
The fact that they can leverage a border blockade with the Centre and the idea that the designated ground in Burari will be an “open jail” where the government will find it easier to ignore their demands pulsed through the refusal of protesting farmers to vacate Delhi’s entry points, as the blockade of the national capital’s borders with Haryana at Singhu and Tikri continued on Monday.
The Burari Park, commonly known as Nirankari Samagam Ground, has an area of over 20 hectares and is around 20 km from Singhu border, where the largest number of farmers have gathered. On Sunday, farmer groups rejected the Centre’s invitation for talks conditional to them moving to the Burari ground, and instead announced that they would blockade five points of entry into Delhi — Sonipat, Rohtak, Jaipur, Ghaziabad-Hapur, and Mathura — in the coming days.
This, even as the Delhi government sets up makeshift tents, food stalls, toilets and Covid testing camps for protesters at the Burari ground in case they decide to come. There is heavy police presence here and details of all those entering and exiting are taken. This has prompted fear in the minds of those protesting at Singhu and Tikri — that once they reach Burari, they will not be allowed to travel anywhere else. Read more
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday extended his support to farmers who have been protesting against the three farm laws, noting that the situation is "concerning".
Speaking on the occasion of Gurupurab to his Canadian-Punjabi constituents, Trudeau said, “I would be remiss if I didn’t start by recognising the news coming from India about the protest by farmers. The situation is concerning. We are all very worried about family and friends. We know that’s a reality for many of you. Let me remind you, Canada will always be there to defend the rights of peaceful protesters. We believe in the process of dialogue. We’ve reached out through multiple means to the Indian authorities to highlight our concerns. This is a moment for all of us to pull together.”
This is the first time a foreign leader has voiced his opinion on the farmers' protests in India.
The daily sermon from the historical Manji Sahib gurdwara, inside the Golden Temple complex, on Monday saw the priest urge farmers to keep their struggle against Centre’s farm laws non-violent. Giani Pinderpal Singh, while explaining the daily edict from the Guru Granth Sahib, read at Golden Temple on the birthday anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, said the sangat should pray for protesting farmers fighting for their rights in Delhi.
Touching briefly on issue of farmer protests, he said, "I will request you to not drive anything political out of what I am going to say. Young and elderly farmers, who want to say something about their rights are sitting on outskirts of Delhi. You all should pray for them on the occasion of birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. You must request the almighty that all the protesters are blessed with dedication and patience as was displayed by Sikhs in Guru Ka Bagh and Jaito Da Morcha."
On the frontline of protests against three farm laws are farmers who have availed the minimum support price (MSP) during the ongoing kharif marketing season but now fear whether MSP-based procurement will continue in coming years. While there is no mention of MSP in the law, protesting farmers say that once APMC mandis weaken after the implementation of new laws, MSP-based procurement, which is in place since decades, will also end.
Comparing the situation with telecom companies that initially offered free data to lure customers and subsequently increased the rates, Singh, a member of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, said corporate buyers will also offer a higher price than MSP initially but after a year or two, they will go below MSP.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar arrive at the residence of BJP President JP Nadda, to hold a meeting over farmers protest
Serpentine queues of vehicles clogged the roads in parts of the national capital on Tuesday as the Delhi Police kept the Singhu and Tikri borders with Haryana closed for traffic and heightened checking at other places in view of the ongoing farmers' protest. The closure of borders has also resulted in heavy traffic on other alternate routes between Delhi and Haryana. (PTI)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday asked the government to wake up and shed "arrogance" to provide protesting farmers their rights. "The food grower is sitting in protest on the roads and fields and speeches are being given on TV. We all are indebted to the hard work of farmers. This debt will be over only by giving them justice and their rights, and not by mistreating them or by beating them with batons or using tear gas against them," he said in a tweet in Hindi. "Wake up and come down from the chair of arrogance and think of giving the farmers their rights," he also said.
Protesting farmers use a tractor to remove barricading at the Ghazipur-Ghaziabad border
Amid the ongoing farmer protests that have the party cornered, Punjab BJP leaders spent Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary praying for an early end to the deadlock over Centre’s farm laws. Punjab BJP spokesperson Anil Sareen said: “We hope that something positive comes out of Tuesday's meeting of Home Minister Amit Shah with farmers."
Surjit Kumar Jayani, the head of Punjab BJP's 8-member panel, who is in Delhi since Friday, said, “I will be in the Home Minister's camp office only Tuesday, when farmer union leaders will come to meet him where Union Agriculture Minister will also be present. I will not be inside the meeting, but inside the camp office for sure. Instead of 32, now invites are being sent to 36 members and the rest 4 are from outside Punjab." Harjeet Singh Grewal, another member of the BJP panel for talks with farmers, is also with Jayani. However, no one else from the state BJP is in Delhi.
After the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), yet another NDA constituent, the Rajasthan-based Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), has expressed unhappiness over the farm laws, claiming it would have to rethink being in the alliance unless the legislations are scrapped. The RLP, led by Hanuman Beniwal, has one seat in the Lok Sabha and three MLAs in the Rajasthan Assembly.
In a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah Monday, Beniwal, MP from Nagaur, said in Hindi: “By drawing your attention to the farmer protests against the three bills, I would like to request you to immediately take action to withdraw these bills. The people who feed the country are agitating amid this extreme winter and the Covid-19 pandemic, which does not reflect well on the government.”
In Monday’s discussions among ministers, it was decided that Tomar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh would get in touch with the leaders of the protesting farmers. Farmer leaders of the BJP too, would try to initiate talks with those leaders of the protesters who may be willing to engage with the government. “The idea is to get them to start talking, because some of them are adamant that there should be no talks unless the laws are withdrawn,” a source said.
BJP leaders have said that the agitation could “dent the BJP’s image as a farmer-friendly party”, something that it cannot afford. The government, sources said, has instructed I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar to see that the “right message is conveyed”.