Delhi: Farmers halt protest at NH-24 after government agrees to five of their demands

Farmers from Uttar Pradesh halted their protest at NH-24 on Saturday after the government agreed to five of their demands. The farmers also stated that their delegation was assured by the Agriculture Ministry officials that their remaining demands will be heard by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing media persons on Saturday, President of Bhartiya Kisan Sangathan Puran Singh stated, "Government agreed to five of the fifteen demands. The agitation has not been called off, it is just a temporary arrangement, we will meet PM after 10 days for the remaining demands."

"If they (government) agree to all of our demands, we will call off the agitation and if not, we will start an agitation from Saharanpur again," he warned.

Earlier, spokesperson of Bhartiya Kisan Sangathan, Lalit Rana stated that the government has agreed to five of their demands including coverage of all farmers under Kisan Bima Yojana, the constitution of a task force for river cleaning and payment of dues of sugarcane farmers.

Rana further stated that the Agriculture Ministry officials assured them that the Home Minister and Prime Minister will meet a delegation of farmers for deliberation on their remaining demands.

On Saturday, Uttar Pradesh's farmers embarked on a march to Kisan Ghat in Delhi after talks between Bhartiya Kisan Sanghatan and the Agriculture Ministry failed in Noida. The march began on September 11, against the rise of electricity tariff amongst other things.

After police stopped the protesting farmers from marching towards Kisan Ghat on Saturday, an 11-member delegation of farmers met officials at the Ministry of Agriculture.