Farmers’ Protest Live Updates: ‘We are engaging with farmers to decide on next date of talks,’ says Narendra Tomar

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Monday said the new farm laws will lead to immense inflation and will only favour a few capitalists, as he termed the legislations "anti-farmer and anti-common man".

Kejriwal, who joined AAP leaders, MLAs and volunteers at the party office in observing a day-long fast in support of the protesting farmers, said the new farm laws "gives license to inflate".

"I appeal to parties to stop playing dirty politics over farmers' issue. These laws are anti-farmer and anti-aam aadmi and are aimed to benefit a few capitalists. These laws will lead to immense inflation through hoarding. These legislations gives license to inflate," Kejriwal was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The BJP will organise meetings of farmers in various divisions of Madhya Pradesh from Tuesday to dispel "misconceptions" being spread about the Centre's three new farm laws, state Agriculture Minister Kamal Patel said.

"We are going to organise meets of farmers of Bhopal and Ujjain divisions on Tuesday," Patel told reporters in Ujjain on Monday.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state BJP chief V D Sharma are going to address these gatherings to dispel the misunderstanding and "misconceptions being spread over the laws by the opposition", he said. (PTI)

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 Monday said that the 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 told PTI. 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.

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, news agency PTI reported. In Haryana, protests were reported from Fatehabad, Jind, Sirsa, Kurukshetra, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Bhiwani, Kaithal and Ambala.

AAP leader and spokesperson Raghav Chadha Monday said that whoever is calling the farmers protesting against the new agriculture-marketing laws as "anti-nationals" are themselves against the country, and they should go to Pakistan.

The AAP MLA said there are some people referring to the agitating farmers, who are the country's food-providers, as "anti-nationals".

"I want to tell those people calling the farmers as anti-national that you are the ones who are anti-nationals and you should go to Pakistan. They have no place in India," Chadha was quoted as saying by PTI.

Reacting to Chadha's comments, Delhi BJP spokesperson Virender Babbar said everybody supports farmers, including the BJP.

Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Monday observed fast in support of farmers protesting against three new farm laws.

"Sitting on one day fast in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue at Vidhan Sabha, in support of farmers one day fast today," Goel said in a tweet.

?? ??????? ?? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ?????? ???????? ??? ????? ?? ?? ??????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ?? ????? ?? ???? ???? pic.twitter.com/IMO84bLxqE

— Ram Niwas Goel (@RamNiwasGoelAap) December 14, 2020

Extending support to the one-day fast called by farmers protesting against new farm laws, Samajwadi Party workers staged protests in different districts of the state, and were taken into custody by the police.

Farmer leaders are holding a day-long hunger strike against the farm laws at Delhi border points. (PTI)

UP ?? ??? ????? ??? ????? ????? ????????? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ?????? ??? ?????????? ????????, ?????? ???? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ?????????, ????????? ???????? ?? ?????? ???? ????? ???, ???????? ?? ??? ??????? CM, ???????? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??? ?? ???? ????? ??????????? ?? ?????? https://t.co/KurHkqUoRT

— Samajwadi Party (@samajwadiparty) December 14, 2020

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said there is no question of taking any retrograde steps against the agricultural sector. Speaking at FICCI's 93rd annual general meeting, Rajnath stated that the farm sector was the one sector that was able to avoid the adverse effects of pandemic. "Our produce and procurement have been plentiful and our warehouses are full," he said.

Farmers sit on dharna outside the Deputy Commissioner office in Ludhiana. (Express photo by Gurmeet Singh)

Delhi: Farmers protesting at Ghazipur (Delhi-UP) border blocked National Highway-24 earlier today.

Delhi: Farmers protesting at Ghazipur (Delhi-UP) border blocked National Highway-24 earlier today.

“We won’t let it happen again, normal people won’t suffer. We wanted them to realise for once that how even few minutes are important,” says Rakesh Tikait of Bhartiya Kisan Union pic.twitter.com/wVk15yXzA0

— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2020

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar targetted Arvind Kejriwal over his fast today.  Calling him a "hypocrite", Javadekar reminded him that the Delhi givernment had notified one of the farm laws in November, and now the CM is on fast. "Arvind Kejriwal, this is your hypocrisy. You promised amendment to APMC Act in Punjab assembly elections. You notified one farm law in Delhi in November 2020 and you are on fast today. Nothing but hypocrisy."

.@ArvindKejriwal this is your hypocrisy. You promised amendment to APMC Act in Punjab assembly elections. You notified one farm law in Delhi in November 2020 and you are on fast today. Nothing but hypocrisy.@AamAadmiParty @BJP4India

— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) December 14, 2020

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 one-day hunger strike call given by 32 farmer unions from Punjab on Monday. 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 told PTI. Farmer unions, most of them from Punjab, have started their hunger strike against the Centre's new farm laws. Also, they have given a call to stage dharnas at district headquarters across the country. --PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is also observing the hunger strike, urged people to join the cause. Taking to Twitter, he said, "Fasting is good for health. Please fast to support our farmer brothers irrespective of wherever you are located. Pray for the success of their movement. They'll definitely emerge victorious in the end."

????? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ???, ???? ????? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ????????? ?????? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ??? ?????

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 14, 2020

Delhi Arvind Kejriwal on Monday accused Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh of trading off farmers' protest to save his son from an ED case. Taking to Twitter, he said: "Captain ji, I have been standing with the farmers from the very begining. Did not let Delhi's Stadium to be used as jail for the farmers, fought with the Centre... You did a setting with the Centre to get your son freed from the ED case, sold the farmers' movement? Why?"

A little after 7 pm, a thick fog creeps in and the air becomes colder. Near the main stage, volunteers begin to roll up carpets, remove halogen lights, and stack up chairs. The farmers, many wrapped in thick shawls, begin a slow walk towards their tractor trolleys. The day has come to an end at Delhi’s Singhu border. And the night has come to life — from buzzing langars serving food till midnight to groups guarding the tractor trolleys till the first round of tea is served around 6 am.

Singhu, in Delhi’s north, marks the capital’s border with Sonepat in Haryana. And over the past 17 days, this is one of the three key border points that have become the epicentre of the farmers’ protests against the Centre’s new agriculture laws. Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, have set up camp here with parked trucks and trolleys extending up to 10 km on the GT Highway. Read full story by Ami Bhatnagar here

Amid an ongoing protest against the recent farm laws, RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) suggested a few amendments in the legislations on Sunday to overcome drawbacks and asserted that the government's intent in bringing the laws was good. The minimum support price (MSP) should be guaranteed to farmers and purchases below the MSP should be declared illegal, according to a resolution passed by the SJM. Not only the government, private parties should also be barred from buying at a rate below the MSP, it said. --PTI

With union ministers attributing ideological opposition to the farm protests and equating some of them with "Left and Naxal elements," as many as 32 farmer unions passed a resolution Saturday making it clear that their only issue is the repeal of farm laws and nothing else.

Carefully calibrating their distancing from the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), the joint resolution said: “The function organised by BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) has no relation with the farmers' struggle. Their action has harmed the farmers’ struggle.” BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) and the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) are not part of this group of 32.

The BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) had on December 10 — to mark Human Rights Day — waved posters of activists including Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves and Varavara Rao, and demanded their release from jail.

As the stir at Delhi borders protesting against the Centre's contentious agriculture laws entered Day 19, the heads of all farmer unions started a hunger strike from 8 am today as part of their plan to intensify their agitation from December 14.  Addressing a press conference at the Singhu border on Sunday, where the farmers have been camping since November 26, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni said the leaders will observe the hunger strike at their respective places. "Also dharnas will be staged at all district headquarters across the country. The protest will go on as usual," he told PTI.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, "I have been hearing what the BJP leaders and ministers are saying. Of the 22 points (raised by farmers), they are only talking about two... If you look at the NDA government’s tenure... They implemented demonetisation, 125 people lost their lives. Then the Goods and Services Tax was imposed, and so many people went bankrupt and some took their own lives. This year, during the lockdown, crores of people came out on the streets. So this is the difference between policies of the NDA and the UPA governments. We formulate and implement policies based on experience and after examining things in detail." He wondered when there isn’t any uniformity in mandis across states, how can one have one Act for the entire country? Bhupesh Baghel was at Idea Exchange with Indian Express. Read the excerpts here

With talks deadlocked and farmers announcing a hunger-strike on Monday, more voices in the Government came out Sunday to allege that riding the protests were ideological forces opposed to the government and the “nation’s progress and integrity”. At the same time, the negotiation door was kept open with Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary telling PTI that the government would soon "decide a date" and call farmer leaders for the sixth round of talks.

In an address to farmers in Bihar, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad invoked the “tukde tukde gang”, warning of “stern action". And, in the capital, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that those opposed to the farm Bills were the same cast of “Leftist” characters opposed to the abrogation of Article 370, the new citizenship law (CAA) and the Ram temple.

As farmers intensify their protest against the Centre's three farm laws, Union Minister Kailash Choudhary on Sunday said the government will soon decide a date and call union leaders for the next round of talks. Previous five rounds of talks between the central government and representatives of 40 farmer unions remained inconclusive. The sixth round of talks did not take place after farmer leaders rejected the government's draft proposal to amend certain provisions of the farm laws and declined to participate in the meeting.

The government has made it clear that it is ready for discussion anytime. But the farmer unions have said they would come for talks only if the laws are repealed. Asked when the government will hold the next round of meeting, Chaudhary told PTI, "The meeting will be called soon. We are ready for discussion. But the date has not been finalised." The government will find "some solution" to end the deadlock. "We have full confidence. In the next meeting, the issue will be resolved," he noted. (PTI)

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on December 16 a plea seeking a direction to authorities to immediately remove the farmers who are protesting at several border points of Delhi against three new farm laws, saying commuters are facing hardships due to the road blockades and the gatherings might lead to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.

According to the apex court website, a bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian will hear the plea filed by law student Rishabh Sharma, who has also sought directions to authorities to open the roads at Delhi's borders, shift the protesters to the allotted place and provide guidelines on social distancing and use of masks at the protest site in order to curb the spread of COVID-19. The petition has claimed that the Delhi Police had, on November 27, allowed the protesters to hold a demonstration peacefully at the Nirankari ground in Burari here, but despite that, they have blocked the borders of the national capital.

As farmers' protest entered the third week, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Sunday accused Opposition parties of running a propaganda against the new farm laws and asserted that these legislations "may cause difficulty for some in the short term" but will be beneficial to farmers in the long run. Tomar, who is leading negotiations with the 40 protesting farmer unions to break the deadlock, was addressing a delegation of over 100 farmers from Uttarakhand who came to extend their support to the laws.

Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary and Uttarakhand Education Minister Arvind Pandey were present in the meeting. Addressing the delegation, Tomar said the government faced opposition when it revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. It also faced opposition when it brought the amended citizenship law as well as over the Ram temple issue.

"When the agricultural reforms were brought, there was opposition to this too.... There are some people who just oppose and weaken the country. This has become their nature," the agriculture minister said.

On agricultural sector reforms, the discussion has been going on for last many years, Tomar said.  "Unfortunately the previous governments who wanted to reform were not able to it. Since they could not try, they did get the credit," he added.

Tomar stressed that for a new India, reforms are necessary.

Farmers from Rajasthan and some other places gathered in large numbers on the Haryana-Rajasthan border near Rewari for their march towards Delhi and sat in protest on side of the Delhi-Jaipur national highway as the Haryana police put up barricades to stop their onward march.

Rewari's Superintendent of Police Abhishek Jorwal told reporters at the site that district authorities had imposed Section 144 of the CrPC banning assembly of five or more people. "We have set up barricades and we will try to stop them here," he said, adding, besides adequate force of the Haryana police, three companies of paramilitary personnel have been deployed to ensure law and order.

The farmers were sitting in protest at Jaisinghpur Kheda area in Rewari along Rajasthan-Haryana border (NH-48). Gurgaon is over 70 km from the site while Delhi is nearly 80 km away. Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav, who was at the site, said since the barricades have been put, the farmers had no option but to stage a sit-in. (PTI)

The NCP on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should clarify on the claims of some Union ministers that the ongoing farmers' protest against the new agri laws has the backing of Pakistan, China and Maoists. NCP spokesman Mahesh Tapase said instead of sympathetically considering demands of the protesting farmers, Union ministers Raosaheb Danve and Piyush Goyal have made "controversial remarks to discredit the agitation". (PTI)

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday stated that stern action will be taken against nation breakers "Tukde Tukde Gang" trying to take advantage of farmers movement against the new farm laws. Prasad, who is a Union Minister for Law and Justice, made the assertion while launching Bihar BJPs state-wide "Kisan Chaupal Sammelan" (farmers conference) in support of the three agricultural Acts at Tekbigha village in Bakhtiarpur assembly constituency of Patna district. 

"They (those protesting farm laws) are saying that they will not withdraw their movement unless and until these laws are withdrawn.We would like to say that Narendra Modi government respects farmers but would like to make it clear that stern action will be taken against 'tukde tukde gang' taking advantage of farmers movement," Prasad said. (PTI)

Heads of all farmer unions to observe hunger strike from 8 am to 5 pm on Monday, said Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni at Singhu Border Sunday, PTI reported.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday asked the BJP-ruled Centre to shun "arrogance" and scrap three farm laws as demanded by agitating farmers, and bring a Bill to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural produce.

Kejriwal said he will hold one-day fast on Monday in response to a call given by the agitating farmers and urged his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers as well as the people of the country to join in. Addressing a virtual press briefing, the chief minister said the Centre should immediately accept all demands of the farmers who have been protesting on Delhi's borders for the past two weeks.

Farmers from Uttarakhand met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar Sunday, to extend their support to three farm laws. MoS Agriculture Kailash Choudhury and Uttarakhand Education Minister Arvind Pandey were also present, ANI reported.

Delhi: Farmers from Uttarakhand meet Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, to extend their support to three farm laws.

MoS Agriculture Kailash Choudhury and Uttarakhand Education Minister Arvind Pandey also present pic.twitter.com/MpcZa9PVxE

— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2020

A day after Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said the farmers' agitation has been "infiltrated by Leftist and Maoist elements", Union minister Ramdas Athawale said it is important to inquire if such people have entered who have no relation with the farmers' protest. Addressing a press conference in Maharashtra's Nagpur city on Sunday, Athawale, head of the Republican Party of India (A) which is an ally of the BJP, also said Union minister Raosaheb Danve's claim of China and Pakistan being behind the farmers' protest is "not the government's stand".

"Besides, Pakistan and China's hands cannot reach till here," he said when asked about Danve's claim. To a query on Goyal's remark, Athawale said, "It is important to initiate an inquiry into the remarks made by Piyush Goyal, if such people have entered who have no relation with the farmers' protest." (PTI)

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday said he will be holding a one-day fast tomorrow in support of the protesting farmers. He also urged all Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers and supporters to observe one-day fast in solidarity with the farmers.

??????? ?? ?? ?? ??? ?? ????? ???? ?? ???? ???? ??, ??? ?? ?? ?? ??? ?? ????? ???????

??? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ???????????? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ??????? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ?? ????? ????- ?????? ??????????? ???? @ArvindKejriwal pic.twitter.com/mxli9zJSPS

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) December 13, 2020

Barricades being removed by #Punjab #Haryana #Farmers from Pipli bridge near Hansi this afternoon. This is NH-9 @IndianExpress @iepunjab pic.twitter.com/1hRGQDmHt7

— raakhijagga (@raakhijagga) December 13, 2020

Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Som Parkash met Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday amidst farmers' protests against the Centre's three agriculture laws, officials said. The ministers were accompanied by BJP leaders from Punjab. Tomar and Parkash, along with their ministerial colleague Piyush Goyal, had led the government's negotiations with the protesting farmers. Tomar and Parkash met the home minister, an official said. It was not immediately known what transpired in the meeting. (PTI)

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that those who are opposing farm laws today had themselves earlier recognised the need for these reforms. "Prominent people who're protesting farm laws today, are doing it just for the sake of opposing the laws. They themselves earlier recognised the need for these reforms. We will sensitize people on how the farm laws will be beneficial to farmers," Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was quoted as saying by ANI.

Prominent people who're protesting farm laws today, are doing it just for the sake of opposing the laws. They themselves earlier recognised the need for these reforms. We will sensitize people on how the farm laws will be beneficial to farmers: Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Law Min pic.twitter.com/fnm1bMxf7V

— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2020

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor joined the protest being held by party MPs from Punjab at Jantar Mantar Sunday, reported news agency ANI. He said, "My friends here are asking the Centre to settle the matter with the farmers' unions & also to have winter session which should have been held by 3rd week of Nov."

Delhi: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor joins protest being held by party MPs from Punjab at Jantar Mantar.

He says, "My friends here are asking the Centre to settle the matter with the farmers' unions & also to have winter session which should have been held by 3rd week of Nov." pic.twitter.com/eTtB1Zb1Jb

— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2020

The NCP on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should clarify on the claims of some Union ministers that the ongoing farmers' protest against the new agri laws has the backing of Pakistan, China and Maoists. NCP spokesman Mahesh Tapase said instead of sympathetically considering demands of the protesting farmers, Union ministers Raosaheb Danve and Piyush Goyal have made 'controversial remarks to discredit the agitation'.

'Danve said the protest has the backing of Pakistan and China, while Goyal has alleged that Maoists are supporting the stir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should clarify if these claims are true,' Tapase said in a statement. He said cultivators are demanding that the new farm laws be withdrawn, but the government is unrelenting. Goyal on Saturday said the agitation no longer remains a farmers' movement as it has been 'infiltrated by Leftist and Maoist elements' demanding the release of those put behind bars for 'anti-national activities'. (PTI)

Rajasthan: Security personnel put barricades near Jaisinghpur-Khera border (Rajasthan-Haryana)

Rajasthan: Security personnel put barricades near Jaisinghpur-Khera border (Rajasthan-Haryana).#FarmersProtest pic.twitter.com/Br4Q0XxmpI

— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2020

Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna has hoped for a peaceful and fair solution to the farmers' issues in India, saying he is encouraged by the ongoing dialogue between the protesting farmers and the government. Khanna, 44, was recently elected for a third consecutive term from the congressional district representing Silicon Valley.

"India and the US share a rich tradition of democracy and peaceful protests. Farmworkers are the backbone of both our nations and must have their voices heard. I hope there's a peaceful and fair solution so they can provide for their families," Khanna said in a tweet on Saturday.

"I am encouraged by the ongoing dialogue," he said, joining other American lawmakers who have expressed their views on the ongoing farmers' protest in India, several of whom have expressed their concerns. (PTI)

They have long juggled the demands of field and family, making sure both are tended to, and now hundreds of women from Haryana and Punjab have added another dimension to their busy lives –– the protest grounds at the various gateways into Delhi. As their husbands, sons and brothers leave home to demand a rollback of the Centre's new agri laws, many women are joining them too, making the trip from village towards the national capital even if for only a few days at a time. For these women, who describe themselves as homemakers, farmworkers and protesters all rolled into one, any suggestion that farmers are about being alpha males because it requires physical labour is met with scorn. --PTI

Expressing solidarity with protesting farmers, a serving officer of the Punjab police resigned from his post on Saturday. Lakhminder Singh Jakhar, who was posted as Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Prisons, in Chandigarh, said he resigned on Saturday. “I have completed all the formalities and hence, I don't think that there will be any hassle in accepting my resignation," he said.

Jakhar was suspended in May over graft charges. The 56-year-old officer was, however, reinstated two months ago.

In his resignation letter, Jakhar offered ‘to deposit three months’ salary of notice period and other arrears as well, so that he can be relieved at the earliest.’ Read more

Among the protesters who have joined the farmers’ fight against Centre’s farm laws at Delhi borders is an Australian girl of Indian origin, Moose Jattana. For the last four days, the 19-year-old from Melbourne has been protesting at the Singhu border, doing volunteer service and assisting photographers on ground to record the ongoing agitation.

She said, “I am protesting here for most of the time of the day. I also do volunteer service here. I am studying filmmaking. Here I have been assisting photographers like Akshay Kapoor, Naveen Macro, who are capturing the farm agitation. I am going to stay put here till the victory is achieved.” Kamaldeep Singh Brar reports from Amritsar

The Delhi Police on Sunday stepped up vigil on the national capital's border with Haryana as farmers plan to block the Jaipur National Highway-8, which passes through Gurgaon, as part of their protest against the Centre's new farm laws, news agency PTI reported. The city police had on Saturday had made elaborate security arrangements by deploying additional personnel and placing more concrete barriers after the farmer organisations announced their Delhi Chalo march from neighbouring states of Rajasthan and Haryana.

The Issewal village in Ludhiana is buzzing with activity these days. At an open ground women are busy roasting groundnuts. At a house nearby, several men are busy rolling into shape besan pinnis — a dessert considered eaten as source of energy in winters. At yet another place 2,500 kits containing toothbrush, toothpaste, bathing soaps and mosquito repellants are being packed.

All of this courtesy Rs 10 lakh donated by the family of Kuldeep Singh Kaka Sekhon, who hail from the village but now lives in the US. Read the full story by Raakhi Jagga

A key road connecting Noida to Delhi, which remained obstructed since December 1 due to the farmers' protest, reopened late on Saturday night, officials said. The Noida-Delhi Link Road was closed due to a sit-in demonstration by some farmers at the Chilla border. These protesters are against the three new farm laws and have demanded their withdrawal. --PTI

Alleging that the farmer protests are being hijacked by the hard Left and “Maoist” elements, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, addressing the FICCI AGM Saturday, did not name anyone. It was an apparent reference to 75-year-old-year-old Joginder Singh Ugrahan and his Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan).

At its transit camp, a gaushala abutting a temple 7 km from the Tikri border, posters of jailed human rights activists arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case lie stacked near the entrance – on December 10, the Human Rights Day, Ugrahan’s colleagues and supporters had held posters of those in jail and demanded their release, drawing sharp reactions from the ruling BJP and other farmer leaders.

Ask him about the allegations and Ugrahan, who formed his outfit in 2002 after breaking away from the BKU (Ekta), remains unchanged and unflinching. He makes no bones that he wears his protest politics on his sleeve — he joined the Shaheen Bagh protests last winter.

“First they called us Khalistani, then they called us Pakistani, now we are called Naxals. The language keeps changing, but there is no let-up in the attacks. And the same people harp on the importance of dialogue,” Ugrahan told The Sunday Express.

Farmers from South Haryana and Rajasthan, who intend to join protestors in Delhi, will be gathering in Rajasthan by Saturday evening and moving towards the capital Sunday morning. Officials in Gurgaon and Nuh, parts of which fall along the Delhi-Jaipur expressway, have made elaborate arrangements to ensure law and order is maintained and traffic is not hindered.

According to farmer leaders involved in the protest, people from Haryana and Alwar will be gathering at the Shahjahanpur border in Rajasthan by Saturday night. “On Sunday, we will join people coming from the direction of Kotputli around 10 am and march with them towards Delhi,” said Ramzan Chaudhary, head of the Nuh unit of Jai Kisan Andolan.

At Singhu border on Saturday, a new truck or trolley kept arriving every few minutes — hundreds of vehicles have been making their way from several Punjab districts, via different routes, so they are not stopped at state borders. By Sunday, over 1,500 vehicles are expected to make their way to the Delhi border.

A trolley ferrying 20 farmers from Tajpur in Ludhiana reached the protest site at 6 am on Saturday. The vehicle left Ludhiana at 9.30 pm and drove all night through the rain.

Amandeep Singh (25), who was among the farmers, said, “Some people have gone back to their village to tend to their farms. So we collectively decided to come to represent the village. If we go back, a number of other trucks will replace us. There are many others from our village who want to join. My father is taking care of the fields; in a few days, he will join and I will head back.” Read full story here

As Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar held talks on Saturday with ministerial colleagues, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, and a group of farmer leaders who support the new agricultural laws, there appeared to be no breakthrough in the standoff with farmers.

While they stuck to their demands, farmer leaders said they were ready to hold talks with the government provided they discussed repealing the three new farm laws before anything else. They also announced intensification of protests. Asked about the next round of talks after his meeting with Tomar, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Prakash, one of the three ministers holding talks with farmer leaders, said, “Ultimately we have to hold a meeting. There is no other way.”

Welcome to The Indian Express LIVE blog! Stay tuned for all the latest developments on the ongoing farmers' protest here.