LIVE updates: Govt-farmer unions' meeting inconclusive; next talks on Jan 8

Farmers' protest LIVE updates: Protesting farmers have been camping at Delhi borders for the last 39 days braving bone-chilling cold and now rains. Stay tuned for latest updates

Farmers' protest LIVE updates Day 40: A stalemate continued on Monday between the government and a representative group of thousands of protesting farmers, as the unions stuck to their demand for the repeal of three farm laws right from the beginning of the meeting even as the ministers listed various benefits of the Acts. 

Protesting farmers who have been camping at Delhi borders for the last 39 days braving bone-chilling cold and now rains have threatened to intensify their protest if their two major demands -- repeal of the three new farm laws and legal backing for the minimum support price (MSP) -- are not accepted by the government.

Thousands of farmers have been protesting at various borders of the national capital for more than a month demanding repeal of the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.

Enacted in September 2020, the government has presented these laws as major farm reforms and aimed at increasing farmers' income, but protesting farmers have raised concerns that these legislations would weaken the MSP and mandi systems and leave them at the mercy of big corporates.

The government has maintained these apprehensions are misplaced and has ruled out repealing the laws.

3:59 AM

AAP leader compares police action on farmers to Jallianwala episode, calls Khattar Gen Dyer

AAP's Punjab unit co-incharge Raghav Chadha on Monday compared Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar to British General Reginald Dyer, a day after the state police fired teargas shells on a group of farmers protesting the Centre's new farm laws.
 

Haryana Police on Sunday evening fired teargas canisters to thwart a march of a group of agitating farmers towards Delhi at Masani barrage in Rewari district.
 

"I was reminded of April 13, 1919, when General Dyer ordered opening fire on innocent group of people who had congregated at Jallianwala Bagh,"Chadha said. 

"Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is ordering the use of tear gas, open firing and lathicharge on our farmer brothers who are only fighting for their rights.

I believe his actions can only be compared to those of the ruthless General Dyer," Chadha said, referring to the officer held responsible for the massacre.
 

He further claimed that the governments of BJP-ruled states are treating farmers like the "enemy of the state".
 

"The shocking visuals of our farmer brothers being attacked with teargas and water cannons made it appear as if this was an India-Pakistan war," Chadha said.
 

3:58 AM

Farmers block traffic on Hoshiarpur-Chandigarh road

Members of various farmer and labour organisations on Monday blocked the traffic on the Hoshiarpur-Chandigarh road, protesting the registration of a case against some people who allegedly unloaded cow dung in front of BJP leader Tikshan Sud's residence a few days ago.
 

Protesters demanded the withdrawal of the case, saying police had registered a "false" case.
 

The call for the protest was given by the Joint Kisan Morcha.
 

The protesters, led by farmer leaders Gurpal Singh Mali, Satnam Singh Sahni and Kuldip Singh Raipur, staged a dharna in front of the district administrative complex and blocked the traffic on the road for over four hours.
 

The authorities concerned had to divert the traffic. They said the case was “politically motivated”.
 

The protesters also raised slogans against the Union government for not accepting farmers' demands, including a repeal of the three farm laws.
 

Several persons were booked under different provisions, including Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC by police, they said.
 

Some people, believed to be farmers, had unloaded a dung-laden trolley in front of the main gate of the residence of former Punjab minister Tikshan Sud in Hoshiarpur on Friday.
 

3:58 AM

Sukhbir slams Centre for 'misusing' Punjab Governor's office

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday accused the Centre of misusing the office of the Punjab Governor by summoning the state's top officers for explanations.
 

Badal also asked the Governor not to become a "mouthpiece" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
 

On Saturday, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh too had taken a strong exception to the Governor summoning the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police instead of seeking a report directly from him, as home minister, on the law and order situation.
 

Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore had on December 30 decided to summon the CS and the DGP while taking a serious note of vandalism of over 1,600 mobile towers during the ongoing protests of farmers against the Centre's new agri laws.
 

The SAD chief on Monday said the office of the Governor was being "misused" in the same manner as was happening in West Bengal.
 

Badal was addressing a gathering at a gurdwara here where an 'Akhand Path' (continuous recitation of religious texts) was conducted to pay homage to Sant Ram Singh Singhri Wale and several farmers who died during the ongoing farmers' agitation against the Centre's farm laws, according to a party release.
 

3:57 AM

Can't awake someone who pretends to sleep: Patel on farm stir

Madhya Pradesh agriculture minister Kamal Patel on Monday said farmers staging protest on Delhi borders against the Centre's new agri laws have rejected pleas to end their stir as they are "enacting a drama to sleep" and it is not possible to "awake" such persons.
 

Patel's comments came in the backdrop of the agitating farmers ignoring repeated pleas by the Centre to end their over a month-long stir and on a day when another round of talks between the two sides ended inconclusively in New Delhi.
 

"They (agitators) are not listening to us as we can awake a person who is actually sleeping, but not the one who is enacting a drama to sleep, he told reporters.
 

The minister was asked about the reasons behind farmers staging protest despite severe cold and rains, and no outcome in talks with the central government on the issue of the new agriculture laws.
 

The senior BJP leader claimed that most farmers in the country are with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the three new agri-marketing laws, which are being opposed by a section of cultivators.
 

3:56 AM

Bengal to hold assembly session to pass resolution against farm laws

Continuing her tirade against the Centre over the new farm laws, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said arrangements would soon be made to convene an assembly session to pass a resolution against the contentious Acts.
 

With assembly polls knocking at the door, Banerjee also hinted that she was ready to implement the PM-Kisan scheme in Bengal, if the farmers benefitted out of it and said she had asked the Centre to share details of all those who have registered themselves on the Union government's portal for the programme.
 

Banerjee, however, asserted that said she would never allow the implementation of the three farm laws, which have sparked protests across the country.
 

"We are against those farm laws. We would soon convene an assembly session for a day or two and pass a resolution against the anti-farmer laws," Banerjee said.

Bengal, if it passes the resolution, would become the sixth state in the country to do so, after Kerala, Delhi, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.
 

The CM's remarks came on a day when the seventh round of talks between protesting unions and three central ministers ended inconclusively, as farmer groups stuck to their demand for repeal of the three farm laws, while the government listed out various benefits of the new Acts for the growth of the country's agriculture sector.
 

9:06 PM

Govt-farmers talks inconclusive as unions firm in seeking repeal of laws; next talks on Jan 8

The seventh round of talks between protesting unions and three central ministers ended inconclusively on Monday as farmer groups stuck to their demand for the repeal of three farm laws, while the government listed out various benefits of the new Acts for the growth of the country's agriculture sector. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said he remains hopeful of a solution in the next meeting on January 8, but asserted that efforts need to be made from both sides for a solution to be reached (taali dono haathon se bajti hai).

 

He also said no outcome could be reached in today's meeting as farmer leaders remained adamant on one issue of repeal of the laws, but the government wanted a clause-wise discussion on the legislations to take forward the talks.

 

Farmer leaders, however, alleged that it was the government's "ego problem" that was coming in the way of resolving the issues and they insisted they would not relent on their key demands for the repeal of the three laws and a legal guarantee for the MSP (minimum support price) system for procurement of their crops.

 

From the very beginning of the meeting, union leaders kept on insisting on the repeal of the three contentious farm laws and the two sides took a long break after just about one hour of discussions.

8:53 PM

Will pass anti-farmer bill resolution in Assembly: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

8:39 PM

Farmers will not agree to anything less than repeal of three farms laws: Union Leader

8:29 PM

Will discuss only MSP issue, repeal of laws; Govt's ego problem coming in way of resolving issues: Farm Union

8:11 PM

Protests will continue until agri laws are repealed, assert farmer unions after meeting with Centre

As the agitation against the farm laws entered 40th day, farmer unions on Monday pressed for a complete rollback of the contentious laws at the eighth meeting with the Centre and said that the protests will continue if the acts are not withdrawn.

 

"Discussion took place on our demands -- repeal of the three laws and MSP... Kannon wapasi nahi, to ghar wapasi nahi (We will not go home until the laws are withdrawn)," Rakesh Tikait, spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union told ANI after the meeting held at Delhi's Vigyan Bhawan this evening.

 

Hannan Mollah, General Secretary, All India Kisan Sabha said that they don't want a discussion on any other topic except for rollback of farm laws.

 

"The government is under tremendous pressure. We all said that this is our demand (repeal of the laws). We don't want a discussion on any other topic except for on repealing of the laws. Protests will not be withdrawn until laws are withdrawn," Mollah said.

 

Yudhvir Singh, Bhartiya Kisan Union said that they rejected the government's request to discuss laws point-wise.

7:32 PM

Reliance's affidavit in Punjab and Haryana HC full of false claims: Farmers' body

Hours after Reliance approched the Punjab and Haryana HC against the damage to its cellular infrastructure and forcible closure of its stores, a pan-India farmers' body said the affidavit filed by the firm in the court is full of "false" claims. The All-India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), representing 250 farmers' organisations in the country, said the affidavit given by Reliance Industries in the court is simply a ploy to serve its business interests.

 

"The Reliance industry's affidavit is full of false claims of it not entering the crop market and taking over farm land. In Raigarh, Maharashtra, and other places, large tracts of land have been taken over by Reliance and it must return all those before making any false claim," The AIKSCC said in a statement.

 

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's firm's subsidiary Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (RJIL) has filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking "the urgent intervention of government authorities to bring a complete stop to the illegal acts of vandalism (of telecom towers) by miscreants."

7:02 PM

Meeting between Centre, farmers' representatives concludes, next meeting on Jan 8

The eighth round of meeting between the Central government and farmers' representatives which began at Vigyan Bhawan on Monday morning has concluded. The next round of talks will be held on January 8 at 2 pm. The farmers' representatives demanded the government to repeal the three farm laws in the meeting today.

 

Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Piyush Goyal and Som Parkash along with government officials and representatives of farmers also observed a two-minute silence for farmers who died during the ongoing protest. After the meeting, Rakesh Tikait, Spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) said that farmers, who are protesting for over a month against three agriculture laws at different borders of the national capital will not go back until the Acts are repealed.

 

"Discussion took place on our demands -- repeal of the three laws and MSP... Kannon wapasi nahi, to ghar wapasi nahi (We will not go home until the laws are withdrawn)," Tikait told ANI.

6:34 PM

Deadlock continues over farm laws, ministers and unions to meet again on Friday

A meeting between farmer unions and three ministers on Monday ended without progress over three farm laws that have sparked protests at Delhi’s borders. The two sides will meet again on January 8, Friday.

Farmers' representatives refused to accept the option of amendment offered by the government, insisting in a seventh meeting with three union ministers that the laws be repealed. Agriculture minister Narendra Tomar is "still insisting that these laws are beneficial for farmers", said Sarwan Pandher, who attended the meeting as part of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, according to NDTV.

Tomar said that laws "have been brought through parliament and the government is ready to amend the laws and incorporate the suggestions of farmers," said Pandher. READ MORE...

6:15 PM

Unions to meet on Tuesday on further action; We insisted on repeal of laws: Farmer leaders

6:14 PM

Meeting between agitating farmer leaders and govt concludes at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi

The meeting between agitating farmer leaders and government concludes at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi