Farmer Protest LIVE: PM should quit if he can't repeal farm laws, says Cong

Farmers' protest LIVE updates Day 47: Farmer unions continued their protest at several Delhi borders on Sunday as the deadlock in negotiations with the government continued. 

In a move to put pressure on the government over the three farm laws, the Congress on Saturday said that it has decided to organise 'Kisan Adhikar Divas' in the country and will gherao the Raj Bhavans across all states on January 15. The ninth round of talks between the farmers and the government is also scheduled to be held on the same day. 

The Centre has procured 531.22 lakh tonnes of paddy so far during this Kharif marketing season from over 70 lakh farmers at MSP, costing a little over Rs 1 trillion, amid the ongoing protest by farmers at Delhi borders seeking repeal of three new farm laws and legal guarantee of MSP. The Kharif marketing season starts in October.

10:01 PM

Farmers try to disrupt BJP event in Jalandhar

A group of farmers protesting against the Centre's farm laws on Sunday tried to disrupt a BJP programme in Punjab's Jalandhar district.
 

They shouted slogans against the Centre and the Punjab BJP leadership over the farm laws.
 

Heavy police security arrangements were made by the Punjab Police to maintain law and order, said officials.
 

Barricades were put up, a water cannon and an earthmoving machine were deployed to prevent protesters from disrupting the BJP's programme at Company Bagh in Jalandhar.
 

The farmers, carrying black flags, tried to break the barricade to reach the venue where the state BJP leaders were holding their agitation against the state Congress government.
 

Some of the farmers managed to reach near the venue but police nabbed them and took them away Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma was in Jalandhar to participate in a protest against the Congress-led dispensation organised by the state party unit.
 

Talking to reporters later, Sharma said those who were protesting were not farmers. “I fully trust farmers as they cannot indulge in such things,” said Sharma. He said the Constitution which allows everybody to hold agitation and protest also allowed the BJP to hold its programmes.
 

Earlier addressing the gathering, Sharma attacked the ruling Congress in the state, accusing it of trying to divert attention from its "failures" under the garb of farmers' protest.
 

6:35 PM

Wrestlers show support for farmers through wrestling event at Ghazipur

After over a month of the farmer agitation, the farmers are sitting at the borders of the national capital in protest against the farm laws. With the backing of the 'Samyukta Kisan Manch', a wrestling event titled 'Kisan Kesari Dangal' was organised on Sunday to honour the protesting farmers at the Ghazipur border. Nearly 50 male and female wrestlers participated in this event organised as a token of respect to farmers.

 

The wrestling bout was held under the guidance of Rakesh Tikait, the National Spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU).

 

"We have come here to support the farmers sitting at the Ghazipur border. I have been wrestling for the last three years," Meenakshi Rohal, a female wrestler at the Ghazipur border, told IANS.

4:26 PM

Feeding a revolution: How fire in kitchens sustaining farmers' fight in streets

The massive agitation by farmers against the new farm laws has stretched to over 40 days at Singhu Border of Delhi and Haryana, but two things that they haven't run out of are food and an unrelenting spirit.

 

While the centre stage of this protracted battle remains the streets, but the fire in the belly of these farmers has been sustained by the flames burning in the kitchens backstage.

 

Aggrieved farmers, mostly drawn from Punjab, had arrived at Singhu Border on November 26, answering the 'Dilli Chalo' call of their leaders who are seeking repeal of the three new farm laws which they allege will "wreck the lives of hard-working peasants".

2:40 PM

Protesting farmers ransack venue of CM Khattar's kisan mahapanchayat in Karnal

Protesting farmers on Sunday took control and ransacked the venue of kisan mahapanchayat' programme at Kaimla village in Haryana's Karnal district where Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was to address people to highlight the benefits of the Centre's three agriculture laws.

 

Earlier, Haryana Police used water cannons and lobbed teargas shells to prevent farmers from marching towards the village.

 

However, farmers reached the venue and disrupted the kisan mahapanchayat' programme.

 

They damaged the stage and broke chairs, tables and flower pots at the venue.

 

The farmers also took control over a makeshift helipad where chief minister's helicopter was to land.

1:30 PM

Haryana Police use water cannon, teargas shells to stop farmers' march to Karnal

Haryana Police on Sunday used water cannons and lobbed teargas shells to prevent protesting farmers from marching towards Kaimla village in Haryana's Karnal district where Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will address a 'kisan mahapanchayat'. Police have made elaborate security arrangements for the chief minister's visit to the village where he will speak to people to highlight the benefits of the Centre's three farm laws.

1:22 PM

Withdrawal of agri laws only way to provide relief to agitating farmers: UP Cong leader

Withdrawal of the three new agriculture-related laws is the only way to provide relief to agitating farmers, an Uttar Pradesh Congress leader said on Sunday. Sunil Rai, the former state secretary of the Congress accused the Narendra Modi-led government of not being bothered about the country's middle class as it has failed to check rising prices of petrol and diesel. Congress is with the farmers who are peacefully agitating against farm laws, Rai told reporters here.

12:44 PM

Rahul Gandhi asks PM Modi to support farmers

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked him to support farmers amid the agitation over the new agriculture laws. "There is still time, Modi ji, support the Annadata, leave the capitalists," read his tweet (roughly translated from Hindi). He also shared a video from his speech in April 2018 in Lok Sabha where he had criticised the Central government over farmers.

12:33 PM

Tikri and Dhansa Borders are closed for any traffic movement

The Chilla and Gazipur Borders (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh) are closed for traffic coming from Noida and Ghaziabad to Delhi because, in the wake of ongoing farmer protests, the Delhi Traffic Police informed on Sunday, asking people to take alternate routes via Anand Vihar, Delhi Noida Direct Flyway, Bhopra and Loni Borders. The Tikri and Dhansa Borders are closed for any traffic movement, while the Jhatikara Borders is open only for light motor vehicles, two-wheelers, and pedestrians, the Police tweeted. It also informed about open borders to Haryana. "Available Open Borders to Haryana are following- Jharoda (Only Single Carriageway/Road), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH-8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera Borders," it said.

11:24 AM

Labour ministry likely to give shape to National Employment Policy by December

The Ministry of Labour and Employment is likely to give a shape to the National Employment Policy (NEP) by December this year following the implementation of four labour codes and completion of four major surveys, including one one migrant workers. The NEP will draw a broad road map for improving job opportunities in the country, mainly by various initiatives like skill development, bringing investment in employment intensive segments and other policy interventions. Last year, Parliament passed three labour codes on Industrial Relations, Social Security and Occupational Health Safety & Working Conditions (OSH).

11:04 AM

Odisha farmer develops irrigation system from bamboo sticks, plastic bottles

After seeing the poor irrigation conditions in and around his farmland, a farmer in Odisha has come up with a water lifting system made of bamboo pipes and plastic bottles, completely changing his agricultural practice. Mahur Tipiria, a resident of Badamtalia village in the Mayurbhanj district, devised this system in an effort to efficiently irrigate his farmland from the nearest water source - a river two kilometres away.

Tiparia's nature-friendly device does not use electricity or a polluting generator set but just a common gravity trick. It's specially structured system helps out neighbouring farmers in their fields as well. The bamboo is placed on a sloping structure as its wheels rotate with the water current, lifting water from the source. The water collected in the containers made out of used plastic water bottles. The water is then channelised through bamboo pipes towards farmlands.

10:46 AM

IYC launches program to pay tribute to farmers died during protest

The Indian Youth Congress on Saturday launched a nationwide program 'Ek Muthi Mitti Shaheedo Ke Naam' to pay tribute to farmers who died during the agitation against the three farm laws. "Farmers through non-violent and democratic means are agitating against the 3 agricultural laws in this scorching cold. Tear gas shells and water cannons are being used on them which shows the dictatorial face of the government," said President of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) Srinivas BV in New Delhi. Criticizing the government, Shriniwas said, "the government has become dumb, deaf, and dictator."

 

8:57 AM

Chilla & Ghazipur borders are closed for traffic due to farmer protests

7:03 AM

Protesting farmers conspiring to spread bird flu by consuming chicken biryani: BJP MLA

Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Rajasthan MLA Madan Dilawar on Saturday lashed out at protesting farmers and said they are 'conspiring to spread bird flu by consuming chicken at the protest sites.' The Member of Legislative Assembly further alleged that the "so-called farmers are not worried about the country, enjoying picnic and luxuries besides relishing delicacies." "Some so-called farmers are agitating. These so-called farmers are not participating in any movement but enjoying chicken biryani and dry fruits for leisure. It is a conspiracy to spread bird flu," he added in a video statement.

 

6:49 PM

BJP launches farmers outreach campaign in Bengal ahead of polls

Amid ongoing protests over the new farm laws, BJP president J P Nadda on Saturday launched a new campaign to woo the farmers of West Bengal and said the BJP government at the centre has increased the agricultural budget six-fold and the Minimum Support Price by 1.5 times. Nadda, who launched the 'Krishak Suraksha Abhiyan' and "Ek Mutti Chawal" (a fistful of rice) to woo farmers in the poll- bound state, said the Modi government has worked more for the farmers community than the previous governments at the centre.

He also mocked at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for agreeing to implement the PM Kisan Yojna only after realising that her party is fast losing ground among the farmers in the state. Nadda, said it is "too late" for the TMC government to agree to implement the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. "Since coming to power, the Modi govt has increased budget on agriculture by six times. In 2013-14, the budget on agriculture was only Rs 22,000 crore. Today, it stands at Rs 1,34,000 crore," Nadda said here.

Nadda said its Prime Minister Narendra Modi who implemented the Swaminathan Committee report on Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. "MSP according to Swaminathan Committee has been implemented only by PM Modi, increasing it nearly by 1.5 times," he said. Later in the afternoon Nadda launched "Ek Muthi Chawal" (a fistful of rice), a programme under which he would collect rice from farmers' homes and brief them about the benefits of the new agri legislations, as part of efforts to blunt the opposition "anti-farmer" allegations against the BJP-led central government following farmers protests in Delhi.

5:51 PM

Protesting farmers take out tractor rally in Haryana's Ambala

Farmers protesting against the Centre's three new farm laws took out a protest march on their tractors here on Saturday, raising slogans against the Union and the state governments. The farmers gathered at a grain market near the Ambala-Hisar highway in the morning and then marched towards Ambala cantonment, leading to traffic snarls in the city.

Bhartiya Kisan Union spokesperson Harbans Singh Manakpur dubbed the march a rehearsal for the proposed tractor parade of January 26. He said the protests would continue till the Centre repeals the three farm laws enacted in September last year. Meanwhile, heavy police force was deployed at the grain market in the wake of the protest march.