LIVE: Farmers allege NIA filing cases against those supporting protests

Farmers' protest LIVE updates: Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, are protesting at various border points of Delhi

10:37 AM

We're suffering and dying in cold weather, govt giving us 'tarikh pe tarikh': All India Kisan Sabha

10:21 AM

Farmers' stir: Fuel pump stations suffer losses at Singhu border

The ongoing farmers' protest along the Delhi borders against the farm laws has started affecting the business operations of the fuel pump stations located in the areas.

 

Petrol pumps located near the Singhu border have been closed since November 26 last year, the day the farmers' agitation began. The fuel stations are estimated to be losing lakhs of rupees everyday. The lack of business is now impacting the salaries of the employees working at the pump stations. As business is nil, the employees' are getting only half of their salaries.
 

There are six petrol pumps on the Singhu border, which are completely closed. In at least 52 days, all the petrol pumps have lost crores of rupees. A staffer of a petrol pump said: "Currently, the pump station has been completely shut since November 26. The workers are waiting for the farmers' agitation to end soon."

 

Even after nine rounds of talks between the government and the farmers, no positive conclusion has been achieved. The petrol pump staff believes that if no solution is attained soon, their problems would further rise.

9:50 AM

P Chidambaram slams NITI Aayog for rejection of RTI on farm laws

9:17 AM

Govt wants farmers to form informal group to make concrete proposals: Narendra Singh Tomar

Urging farmer unions to form an informal group among themselves to prepare concrete proposals to be discussed in the next meeting, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Friday detailed discussions took place at the ninth round of talks but could not reach a decisive stage.

 

The two sides, therefore, decided to meet again on January 19 at 12 pm, Tomar told reporters after the end of the meeting that lasted for nearly five hours.

 

"Talks took place over three farm laws in a cordial atmosphere and detailed discussions took place on some issues, but couldn't reach a decisive stage," he said. "We suggested they can form an informal group of people who can understand the laws better and prepare some concrete proposals, detailing what are farmers' expectations and what clauses are problematic for them, which the government can consider with an open mind," the minister said. READ ON...

8:22 AM

Assam Congress chief, others taken into custody during Raj Bhavan march against farm laws

Several senior Congress leaders, including its Assam unit president Ripun Bora, along with hundreds of party workers were taken into custody Saturday while marching towards Raj Bhavan to demand repeal of the new farm laws.

 

Among other prominent persons who were taken into custody were Leader of the Congress Legislature Party in the state Debabrata Saikia, his deputy Rakibul Hussain and Lok Sabha MPs- Gaurav Gogoi, Pradyut Bordoloi and Abdul Khaleque- police said.

 

The Congress had organised the 'Raj Bhavan Gherao' programme here to demand repeal of the 'anti-farmers black laws' and alleged price rise in the country. Farmers issue is likely to be an important poll agenda in the Assam assembly election due in March-April this year.

7:28 AM

NIA summons protest leader, actor

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has summoned farmer leader Baldev Singh Sirsa and Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu on Sunday, January 17, in a case related to Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), the US-based secessionist group banned by India. NIA has summoned 40 people for questioning as witnesses in a case, news agency ANI reported.

6:51 AM

Govt-farmers meet: 9th round ended with date for 10th round of talks

The government on Friday asked protesting farmers to form an informal group to prepare a concrete proposal about their objections and suggestions on the three farm laws for further discussion at their next meeting on January 19 to end the long-running protest at various Delhi borders, but unions stuck to their main demand of a complete repeal of the three Acts.

 

As nearly five hours of talks between 41 unions and three central ministers did not reach a decisive stage in the ninth round of talks at Vigyan Bhawan here, the two sides decided to meet again the next Tuesday.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told farmer leaders at the meeting that the government has been flexible in its approach and urged the same from them. READ ON...

6:49 AM

How Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani were caught in crossfire over farming laws

Two of India’s richest men have landed in an unlikely controversy over farming laws, becoming targets of protesters who allege the tycoons have benefited from their close links to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

For weeks, tens of thousands of farmers have camped outside the nation’s capital, demanding the withdrawal of recently passed legislation they say, without evidence, was designed to allow billionaires such as Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani to enter farming. The tycoons say they have no such interest. More than 1,500 phone towers of Ambani’s wireless carrier were vandalised last month and some farmers called for a boycott of their businesses.

 

The fight between the government and the farmers has revived the debate on what Modi’s critics call a cozy nexus between the magnates and the popular leader--accusations they all have denied. The protests, one of Modi’s toughest political challenges yet, follow an eventful 2020 when the combined fortunes of Ambani and Adani swelled by almost $41 billion, even as millions of Indians lost their jobs to the pandemic that pummeled the $2.9 trillion economy. READ ON...

 

6:47 AM

Attempts to intimidate farmers through notices from central agencies: Shiromani Akali Dal chief

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday alleged that attempts are being made to threaten farmer leaders through notices by agencies like the NIA. He also accused the Centre of being insincere in talks over the farm laws and said the government is only "trying to tire out farmers". Simultaneously, it (Centre) is intimidating farmers by issuing notices to them through various agencies like the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Farmers are not anti-nationals. We condemn this, said Badal, according to PTI.

 

Senior Akali leader and former state minister Bikram Singh Majithia also accused the Union government of defaming farmers by calling them naxalites and Khalistanis.

 

He said the SAD had always stood with farmers and quit the National Democratic Alliance when the government refused to listen to them. Badal also slammed Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, alleging that he has failed to fulfil any of his promises made to people. He asked the chief minister to tell one thing he had done for the people of the state in the past four years of his rule.