Farmers entered 9th day of protest at Singhu border. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)Farmers Protest Today Live Updates: Farmers at Singhu Border on Friday called for a nationwide protests against the new farmer bills and announced a Bharat Bandh on December 8, after talks between three union ministers and a representative group of agitating farmers failed to yield any resolution on Thursday.
However, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar’s statements hinted that the Modi government could amend three major provisions in the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act. These provisions actually represent the heart of the most contested legislation passed in the last Parliament session. Amendments to them can, thus, tantamount to a virtual rollback of the law. Both the sides have now agreed to meet again on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chadoni said if the Centre does not accept their demands to repeal the laws during Saturday’s talks, they will intensify their agitation and also occupy the toll plazas on that day.
Delhi’s border points remained choked as thousands of farmers from Haryana, Punjab, and other states are holding demonstrations for the ninth consecutive day, today.
Earlier today, a petition seeking immediate removal of the protesting of farmers from Delhi borders was submitted to the Supreme Court on Friday. The plea has sought the apex court directions to the authorities to open the roads at Delhi borders, shift these protestors to allotted place and provide guidelines on social distancing and use of mask at the protest place to contain spread of COVID-19 cases.
In other news, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today spoke to various farmers’ groups protesting at Delhi’s Singhu border and assured them that the TMC stands by them, party leader Derek O’Brien said. Brien, who spent almost four hours with the agitating farmers, facilitated the interactions over the phone.
Farmers gathered at New Delhi's Singhu border.
The farmer unions said the new laws would give “unregulated freedom to corporates”.
Farmer leaders hold a press conference at Singhu Border on Sunday. (Express Photo: Gajendra Yadav)
The Editors Guild of India (EGI) on Friday expressed concerns over the news coverage of the farmers’ protests in Delhi, saying certain sections of the media were delegitimising the stir by labelling them “Khalistanis” and “anti-nationals” without any evidence. This goes against the tenets of responsible and ethical journalism, and such actions compromise the credibility of the media, it said in a statement.
Interstate buses of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) have not been plying since November 27 due to the farmers' protest against the Centre's new farm laws at the borders of the city, a senior official said on Friday. The DTC's interstate services, mainly to Gurgaon and Bahadurgarh, were suspended after the start of the farmers' protest at the borders on November 27, the official said. Due to demonstration by farmers, most borders with other states have been closed for traffic movement. Accordingly some routes have been diverted by the DTC as advised by area Traffic Police, said R S Minhas, deputy chief general manager (PR) of DTC. "The Interstate operation is closed and will be restored after the position normalises," he said. Key routes at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh remained choked as thousands of farmers held demonstrations for the ninth consecutive day against the Centre's farm laws
Traffic moved at snail's pace at several border points of the national capital as police kept key routes connecting Delhi to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh closed in view of the farmers' protest against the new farm laws, which entered its ninth day on Friday.
The Chilla border on the Noida Link road also remained shut for the fourth day on the trot for traffic coming from Noida to Delhi due to the farmers' protest near Gautam Budh Dwar.
Truck carrying supply stood in long queue waiting to cross Mukarba Chowk in New Delhi on Friday. EXPRESS PHOTO BY PRAVEEN KHANNA
As the ongoing Farmers protests enter its ninenth day, Farmers at Singhu Border have announced a Bharat Bandh on December 8
A petition seeking immediate removal of the mass gathering of farmers at Delhi borders has been submitted to the Supreme Court on Friday as the farmers’ ongoing protest entered its 9th day.
According to a report by Bar and Bench, the petition filed by Advocate Om Prakash Parihar states that it is 'necessary to remove the gathering' as the protest is posing a hurdle for accessing emergency medical services needed to curb the spread of COVID-19 and attend to patients in need of medical attention.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday spoke to various farmers' groups protesting at Delhi's Singhu border against the Centre's agriculture reform laws and assured them that the TMC stands by them, party leader Derek O'Brien said. Brien, who spent almost four hours with the agitating farmers, facilitated the interactions over the phone. "The CM spoke to the farmers. Four telephone calls to different groups from Haryana and Punjab, they shared their demands and they were clear that they wanted the farm bills (laws) repealed," O'Brien said. It was a very emotional meeting. The farmers' groups were aware of the laws and knew exactly what they wanted -- the repeal of these laws, O'Brien said. In fact, today, 14 years ago, Banerjee began her hunger strike for the farmers in Singur, he noted.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Friday said the farmers are hoping that the government will meet their demands during the fifth round of talks scheduled on December 5, failing which they will continue their protests against the new farm laws.
"The government and the farmers did not reach any decision during the meeting held on Thursday. The government wants to make amendments to the three laws, but we want the laws to be completely repealed."
"If the government does not agree to our demands, we will continue to protest. We are looking to find out what happens in Saturday's meeting," Tikait told PTI.
Speaking in support of the agitating farmers,former Haryana Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Friday said that Farmers are being insulted. They are being called 'Khalistanis' and 'Congressis'. "Farmers are farmers. They have come here with their valid demands, rising above religion, caste and region. They are here in this cold."
"Haryana govt in bad shape as they made the biggest mistake. Had they not stopped farmers or not used water cannons or not lobbed tear gas shells, they wouldn't have been in problem. Who can stop others from coming to national capital? What Haryana govt did is condemnable," he added.
Former PDP leader Mehbooba mufti on Friday said that farmers protests have brought the central government to its knees. "BJP is scared of peoples power & its why a reign of repression has been unleashed in J&K since Illegal abrogation of Article 370. Not allowing any peaceful medium for dissent shows their nervousness & failure on all fronts," she added.
Former PDP leader Mehbooba mufti on Friday said that farmers protests have brought the central government to its knees. "BJP is scared of peoples power & its why a reign of repression has been unleashed in J&K since Illegal abrogation of Article 370. Not allowing any peaceful medium for dissent shows their nervousness & failure on all fronts," she added.
The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC)has sent a legal notice to actor Kangana Ranaut, seeking an unconditional apology for her "derogatory" tweets against farmers and activists involved in the protest against the Centre's farm laws, the committee's president said on Friday. The Bollywood star, who is known for her combative comments, was also asked to remove the particular tweets. "We have sent a legal notice to @KanganaTeam for her derogatory tweet calling the aged mother of a farmer as a woman available for Rs 100. Her tweets portray farmers protest as anti-national. We demand an unconditional apology from her for her insensitive remarks on farmers protest," Manjinder Singh Sirsa, president of DSGMC, said in a tweet. --PTI
From urging the Centre to rethink its stand on the newly enacted farm laws to calls for repeal of the laws and a short winter session of Parliament to discuss the farmer protests, the Opposition Congress and Trinamool Congress mounted pressure Thursday on the Government to find an amicable solution to the agitation at the gates of Delhi.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi before the start of talks between farmer representatives and Union Ministers, urged the Centre to rethink its stand on the new farm laws. He also appealed to farmers to find an early solution to the problem which, he said, was adversely impacting Punjab's economy and posed a "serious danger to national security". Read more here
If the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar’s statements are any indication, the Narendra Modi government could amend three major provisions in the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act. These provisions actually represent the heart of the most contested legislation passed in the last Parliament session. Amendments to them can, thus, tantamount to a virtual rollback of the law.
The first provision relates to Section 6, which exempts transactions done outside the physical premises of APMC (agricultural produce market committee) mandis from any "market fee or cess or levy" imposed by state governments. Farm unions claim it leads to an unlevel playing field between the APMC mandis and private collection centres or markets created under the new Act. Read our explainer here
The central government Thursday ceded some ground and said it would reconsider certain provisions of the new farm laws, but talks remained inconclusive with representatives of farmer unions sticking to their demand that all three laws be repealed. Both sides, however, agreed to meet again on December 5.
After a seven-hour marathon meeting with 40 representatives of farm organisations, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told reporters, “The discussions took place in a cordial atmosphere. Farm unions leaders put forth their points of objections. The government also presented its views in detail.” Tomar was accompanied by Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Prakash. Read more here
BJP'S COALITION partner JJP on Thursday demanded the withdrawal of cases registered in Haryana against farmers who participated in the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march against the Centre's farm laws.
Talking to mediapersons, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala's younger brother and JJP youth wing leader Digvijay Chautala said, “We request the state government to immediately withdraw all criminal cases that were registered against farmers during their ‘Delhi Chalo’ movement. A delegation of JJP leaders shall soon meet Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Home Minister Anil Vij, and request them to withdraw all such cases.”
While Dushyant continues to maintain silence on the issue, his brother said: “If the three farm legislations cause any adverse impact on MSP, Dushyant Chautala will be the first one to resign.”
The protest against farm laws at Singhu border, and other Delhi borders, comes months after a similar indefinite protest inside the national capital –– the Shaheen Bagh stir against CAA-NRC, which made headlines worldwide and was finally broken up after nearly three months because of Covid-19. There are similarities –– and very crucial differences –– about the atmosphere at the two protest. sites. Read more
Urging the farmers to end their agitation, Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar said: "The govt is holding talks & the issue that will come up during discussion will definitely reach to a solution."
After almost seven hours of meeting, Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar said that the govt is open to consider and discuss issues raised by farmers. He said, "Govt will contemplate about seeing that APMC is further strengthened & its usage increases. New laws lay down provision for pvt mandis outside purview of APMC. So, we'll also contemplate about having an equal tax for pvt as well as mandis under AMPC Act."
The second round of meeting between the Centre and representatives of 35 farmers group has concluded with Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar assuring the farmers that MSP(Minimum Support Price) will not be touched. "No changes will be made to it," said Tomar, who led the meeting with farmers.
The next meeting is scheduled for December 5.
After meeting the 35 farmers group for the second time today, AgricultureMinister Narendra Tomar on Thursday said that MSP (Minimum Support Price) will not be touched, no changes will be made to it.
The leaders of farmers had on Wednesday said that they would continue the stir till a special session of Parliament is not called by the Centre to repeal the new farm laws.
Farmer leaders on Thursday refused the lunch offered by the government during their meeting with three Union ministers here and preferred to eat the food ferried in a van from the Singhu border, where thousands of their colleagues are sitting in protest against the new agri laws. The fourth-round of talks began around noon amid ongoing protests by farmers seeking repeal of the laws. During the lunch break, a small van carrying food for around 40 people was seen outside the Vigyan Bhawan, where the meeting is underway. "Our farmers' representatives did not accept the lunch offered by the government and we arranged it from the Singhu border," Lok Sangarsh Morcha president Pratibha Shinde told PTI.
The Bundelkhand Kisan Union on Thursday supported farmers' demand for convening a special session of Parliament to repeal the Centre's three farm laws and warned the government of intensifying their stir. "The three laws passed by the Union government are anti-farmers. They will not help farmers in any way and will only force them to commit suicide," said BKU national president Vimal Kumar. "The government should immediately convene a special session of the Parliament and withdraw all the three controversial laws and set up a "Krishi Ayog" consisting only of agriculture scientists and farmers," Sharma said. He said about 500 farmers of the Bundelkhand region are starting form the GIC ground here to Delhi later on Thursday.
As the crowd of farmers continued to swell around the Delhi's borders, the police Thursday closed routes on two national highways connecting Ghaziabad to Delhi.
"The local police have closed the routes on NH-9 and NH-24 from Ghaziabad to Delhi. On NH-1, both sides of the route have been closed near Shani Mandir," the Delhi Traffic Police tweeted.
The crowd of farmers continued to swell at Ghazipur, prompting the police to close the Delhi-UP border on NH-24. It said NH-44 is closed on both sides and asked people to take alternate routes via NH-8, Bhopra, Apsara border, and Peripheral expressway
At the Chilla border, one carriageway -- from Delhi to Noida -- has been opened for traffic. However, the other carriageway -- from Noida to Delhi -- is still closed. People commuting from Noida to Delhi are advised to avoid Noida link road, the traffic police said. (PTI)
Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan: Congress has always opposed farmers. They're distressed, they're looking for some chaos. It was the same Congress that instigated farmers in Neemuch and Mandsaur and fanned violence. We will not let Congress do this at any cost in Madhya Pradesh. (ANI)
Sukhbir Singh Badal: "There are elderly women in farmer protests. Do they look like Khalistanis? It is a way of calling farmers of the country as anti-nationals. This is an insult to the farmers. How dare they call our farmers anti-nationals?"
"Does BJP or anybody else have the right to declare anybody as anti-national? These people (farmers) have dedicated their entire life to the nation & now you are calling them anti-national. People who are calling them anti-nationals are actually anti-nationals." (ANI)
Hours after former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal announced to return his Padma Vibhushan in protest of the new farm laws, his son and Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said his father has sent a strong message to the government. "Parkash Singh Badal fought for farmers for his entire life. He returned his award to send a strong message to the government. Farmers don't need these laws so why the government is forcing them on farmers?" he told ANI.
Farmer leaders have food during the lunch break at Vigyan Bhawan where the talk with the government is underway.
Congress lawmakers from Maharashtra on Thursday passed a resolution to oppose the Centre's new farm laws and extended support to the ongoing farmers' protest against the legislations.
The Maharashtra Congress unit on Thursday held a meeting in Mumbai where party MLAs, MLCs and parliamentarians were present, party sources said.
During the meeting, state Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat and MLC Sharad Ranpise presented the party's stand on the new farm laws, the sources said. (PTI)
Speaking on farmers' agitation, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee threatened to launch a country-wide strike if the new farm laws are not repealed by the central government. "I am very much concerned about the farmers, their lives and livelihood. GOI must withdraw the anti-farmer bills. If they do not do so immediately we will agitate throughout the state and the country. From the very start, we have been strongly opposing these anti-farmer bills," she said.
Congress lawmakers from Maharashtra on Thursday passed a resolution to oppose the Centre's new farm laws and extended support to the ongoing farmers' protest against the legislations. The Maharashtra Congress unit on Thursday held a meeting in Mumbai where party MLAs, MLCs and parliamentarians were present, party sources said. During the meeting, state Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat and MLC Sharad Ranpise presented the party's stand on the new farm laws, the sources said. "The state Congress has passed a resolution opposing the new laws. We support the farmers from Punjab and Haryana in their fight and struggle," a source said. (PTI)
The Punjab government on Thursday announced a financial assistance of Rs five lakh each to the families of two farmers who died during protests against the Centre's farm laws. Gurjant Singh (60), resident of village Bachhoana in Mansa district, died at the Tikri border in Delhi during an agitation while Gurbachan Singh (80), resident of village Bhinder Khurd in Moga district, passed away due to a massive heart attack during a protest at Moga on Wednesday. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh expressed grief over the death of two farmers. He announced a financial assistance of Rs five lakh each to the families of two farmers, said a government release here.
Opposing Centre's farm laws, Rajya Sabha MP and chief of Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic) — a breakaway faction of Shiromani Akali Dal — Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa also returned the Padma award. Dhindsa had resigned from SAD in 2019.
Akali Dal leader and five-time Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal returned the Padma Vibhushan to protest the "betrayal of farmers" by the government. “I am who I am because of the people, especially the common farmer. Today when he has lost more than his honour, I see no point in holding on to the Padma Vibhushan honour,” he wrote in a letter to the president Ram Nath Kovind.
Badal described the betrayal of the farmers by the government as “bolts from the blue on the already beleaguered peasantry of the country” adding that ”farmer finds himself waging bitter struggles in the severe cold just to secure his fundamental right to live."
Vehicular movement remained obstructed on a key road connecting Noida and Delhi on Thursday in view of the farmers' protest at the national capital's border for the third day in a row, officials said. Only one of the two carriageways on the Noida Link Road (also known as the Chilla road) was open, allowing commuters coming from Delhi to enter Uttar Pradesh via Noida, they said. The other side of the road where the protesting farmers are staying put remains closed to prevent any vehicular movement from Noida to Delhi. The Noida Traffic Police had issued an advisory informing people about route diversions on Thursday and suggested them to take the DND or the Kalindi Kunj routes instead of the Noida Link road to reach Delhi. (PTI)
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh appealed to the Centre to resolve the farmers' issue as soon as possible. "Discussion is going on between farmers and Centre, there's nothing for me to resolve. I reiterated my opposition in my meeting with Home Minister and requested him to resolve the issue as it affects the economy of my state and the security of the nation," he told reporters after his meeting with Shah today.
A meeting is underway between the farm union leaders and the Centre. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Minister Piyush Goyal are meeting the leaders to find a common ground.
Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla requesting him to convene a short Winter Session of Parliament to discuss the farmers' protest. The Congress leader also wants a discussion on the status of the COVID-19 vaccine, economic slowdown & border stand-off with China.
Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla requesting him to convene a short Winter Session of Parliament to discuss the farmers' protest. The Congress leader also wants a discussion on the status of the COVID-19 vaccine, economic slowdown & border stand-off with China.
"Govt is constantly discussing issues with farmers. Today is the fourth round of talks & I'm hoping for a positive outcome," Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told reporters ahead of the meeting
Ahead of the second round of talks between the Centre and the farm unions, Home Minister Amit Shah is meeting Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today. The Chief Minister, sources said, wants the Centre to take a call on the new farm laws, given the growing anger among farmers. He has been of the view that the Centre should agree to make MSP a statutory right for farmers and ensure that the mandi system continues.
Farmer leaders arrive at Vigyan Bhawan for the next round of discussions. "We are hopeful that the talks will be productive. If our demands are not met then the farmers will take part in the Republic Day parade held in Delhi," Rakesh Tikat, a farmer leader was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Bathinda's Lakvir Singh died of a heart attack at the Tikri border.
From an Army veteran and a former medical practitioner to a former footballer and dyed-in-the-wool Communists, meet the 35 who are sitting across the table in the meeting with the government today. Read more about them
Ahead of the meeting between Amarinder Singh and Amit Shah, former union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said that a 'Capt-Modi' nexus has been exposed.
Badal tweeted, "Capt-Modi nexus exposed: Capt didn't move an inch when ordinances were passed, nor when farmers sat on rail tracks, neither when they faced water cannons & tear gas & braved the chill on Delhi roads. But HM cracks the whip & he runs, but in whose interest is million $ question!"
The Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) Wednesday came out in support of farmers and urged the Prime Minister for repealing farm laws and to give an audience to them to come out with an amicable solution. It also said there was a need to bring a legislation for the welfare of farmers. The bar body said the farm laws are more detrimental to the interest of legal professionals across the country and the ‘Bar of Civil Court jurisdiction' will substantially affect the district courts and high courts in some states.
The BCD, in a statement issued by its Chairman and senior advocate Ramesh Gupta, said the nature of subject matters covered under these laws are so vast that all disputes up till now entertained by civil courts will be adjudicated by SDMs or ADMs, who are not part of regular courts. It said the government should have unhesitatingly consulted and taken lawyers into confidence, more so when farm laws are simply not related to routine revenue matters but the ones which are basically contractual and commercial.
Delhi BJP MP and former president of the party's state unit Manoj Tiwari on Wednesday claimed that the so-called "tukde tukde gang" was trying to turn the farmers' stir at the national capital's borders into a Shaheen Bagh like protest. Tiwari, in a statement, said alleged slogans in favour of Khalistan and threat to the Prime Minister by some protesters among the farmers showed that it was a "well planned conspiracy" to create "unrest" in the country.
“Presence of individuals and groups who opposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) and CAA at Shaheen Bagh clearly establishes that the 'tukde-tukde' gang is trying to experiment with Shaheen Bagh 2.0 and create unrest under the grab of farmers' protest,” charged Tiwari. Shaheen Bagh in South Delhi was the hub of the agitation against the citizenship amendment act earlier this year, before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
Farmers' leaders depart from the Singhu border for their meeting the government on farm laws. Meanwhile, Som Prakash, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, expressed hope that the meeting would end the deadlock. "We are hopeful that the meeting will be successful. The aim of holding a dialogue is to find a solution," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI
Gurjant Singh (60), a resident of Bachhoana village of Mansa district, died Wednesday morning at the Tikri border where he had gone to protest against Centre’s farm laws. He was part of the BKU (Ugrahan)’s protest group. Gurjant had got sick at the protest site on the intervening night of December 1 and 2 after which he was rushed to the hospital. He was referred to Rohtak, where he was declared dead.
The 60-year-old had started for Delhi from Dabwali border on December 27 morning and had reached at Tikri border after more than 15 hours due to hurdles on the way created by Haryana government and also due to traffic congestion, said Lachman Singh Sewewala, general secretary of Pendu Khet Mazdoor Union.
Ahead of the meeting with Centre, heavy security deployment continues at Singhu border
The three contentious farm bills, which received the President’s nod on September 27, essentially change the rules around the sale, storage and pricing of farm produce. The bills have been touted as a watershed moment for Indian agriculture by the Prime Minister, as the government claims that the reforms would remove the shackles from the agriculture sector and free farmers from the stranglehold of middlemen by creating one market. However, farmers’ unions and groups have concerns about two major issues: First, since the Minimum Support Price (MSP) is not mentioned in the bills, they fear that they will lose the assured option of selling to the APMC mandis and that this will lead to corporate exploitation. Second, they apprehend a process of corporatisation of agriculture in the absence of regulation, as agribusiness firms might well be able to dictate both the market conditions (including prices) and the terms of contract farming as small farmers do not have the same bargaining power. Christophe Jaffrelot and Hemal Thakker, both belonging to Sciences Po, Paris, ask: “Why should agriculture be liberalised in the first place when in most countries governments subsidise this sector?”
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah Thursday morning, before the next round of talks between the Centre and farmer union representatives, to try and resolve the standoff over the newly enacted farm laws.
Sources said the Chief Minister sought time from Shah for a meeting Thursday and it will take place at 9.30 am. Punjab officials, including Chief Principal Secretary Suresh Kumar, will accompany Singh to discuss the farmer protests at the gates of Delhi, sources said.
The Chief Minister, sources said, wants the Centre to take a call on the new farm laws, given the growing anger among farmers. He has been of the view that the Centre should agree to make MSP a statutory right for farmers and ensure that the mandi system continues. Sources said Singh could also raise the issue of Bills passed by the Punjab Assembly in October to negate the Centre’s laws. The Bills are yet to get the assent of the Governor. Singh had earlier indicated he would legal recourse should the Governor not grant approval to the Bills and send them to the President.
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As the Centre prepares to sit across the table with 35 farmer groups at 12 noon in Vigyan Bhawan on Thursday for the second round of discussions, it may be willing to address certain issues, some not necessarily linked to the farm laws, which the farmers’ representatives expressed anxiety over.
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