Farmers' protest LIVE: Punjab CM, Amit Shah to meet on Dec 3 ahead of talks

Farmers protest LIVE updates Day 7: Farmers unions on Wednesday demanded that a special Parliament Session be convened to repeal agricultural laws. Stay tuned for latest updates on farmers' protest

6:38 PM

LIVE: Centre holds deliberations ahead of talks with protesting farmer leaders

Ahead of the second round of talks between the Centre and the representatives of protesting farmers, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held deliberations with Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal here on Wednesday on ways to dispel concerns over the new farm laws. Tomar, Goyal along with Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash had represented the Union government on Tuesday during the talks with farmer leaders, who have been demanding a repeal of the newly enacted laws.

 

During the deliberations on Wednesday, the ministers are believed to have discussed the issues raised by farmers, and how the Union government can constructively respond to dispel concerns expressed by them over the farm laws. Over 35 farmer leaders had held a three-hour meeting on Tuesday at Vigyan Bhavan with the ministerial delegation.

 

Though, their first round of talks on Tuesday did not yield a breakthrough but both sides agreed to hold the next round of talks on Thursday. In a statement, the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), an umbrella outfit of the farmer unions, said the talks remained inconclusive. Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and several other states have been protesting for seven consecutive days at the borders of the national capital against three farm laws.

6:15 PM

Will continue our agitation till three farm laws are repealed: Farmer leaders

We will continue our agitation till the three farm laws are repealed: Farmer leader Darshan Singh. If govt does not fulfil our demands, we will have to take more steps, says farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chadoni. Will block other roads of Delhi if govt does not withdraw new three farm laws, say leaders of protesting farmers at press conference.

6:06 PM

Will block other roads of Delhi if govt doesn't withdraw new farm laws: Leaders of protesting farmers

5:56 PM

We will hold discussions with farmers' leaders tomorrow: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

5:56 PM

Kabaddi players, wrestlers, singers from Punjab join farmers' protest

As the farmers' agitation entered the seventh day on Wednesday, over a dozen kabaddi players, wrestlers and singers from Punjab joined the protest, extending their support to more than 32 farmers unions leading thousands of protestors. The players, wrestlers and popular Punjabi singer Ravinder Grewal were part of the farmers' sit-in at Singhu border on the Delhi-Chandigarh route where the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and other farmers unions have been protesting since November 26.

 

They have come out in support of the farmers agitating against the three contentious farm bills passed in September during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. A group of 10 women kabaddi players from Punjab said they are supporting the farmers as their demands were not accepted by the Central government despite protesting in the state for the last three months.

 

"More than three-month long farmers' protest did not have the desired impact so they marched to Delhi. Sports progress is dependent on farmers' progress. If a farmer does not progress, how will sports progress," leader of the kabaddi team, Surjit Kaur, told IANS.

5:34 PM

We call for burning of effigies throughout India: Krantikari Kisan Union

5:32 PM

Delhi Teachers Association comes out in farmers' support

The Delhi Teachers ' Association (DTA), an organisation of Delhi University academics, has come out in support of the farmers' movement. The teachers and professors involved of DTA have justified the demands of the agitating farmers. The DTA believes the central government should talk unconditionally to solve their problems and address their concerns.

 

The DTA says it stands with them in support of the demands of the agitating farmers. The officials of the organisation convened an important meeting on the subject. A decision in this regard was taken in this meeting.

 

Professor Hansraj Suman, Dr. Narendra Kumar Pandey, Dr. Asha Rani, Dr. Manoj Kumar Singh and Dr. Rajesh Rao, of the DTA have sought all possible support from all sections of society while supporting the demands of farmers in the meeting.

 

"For the last six days the farmers' agitation has been completely peaceful, but the government is behaving harshly with them," said Professor Hansraj Suman. "The police are showering teargas shells and water cannon on them to suppress their demands," he added.

5:13 PM

Held 'positive dialogue' with agitating farmers at Singhu border, says Delhi Police

Amid the protest by farmers at the borders of the national capital for the last few days, the Delhi Police said it has held a positive dialogue with protesters at the Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana) and remains ready to contain any law and order situation that may emerge.

 

"Positive dialogue is being held with protesting farmers here. All arrangements have been put in place to contain any law and order situation that may emerge," Gaurav Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Outer North-Delhi told ANI.

 

The Singhu and Tikri borders continue to remain closed to traffic due to the large number of farmers that have gathered there in protest of the three farm laws that were passed in the monsoon session in September by voice vote amid despite objection from the Opposition.

 

5:13 PM

Centre should call a special Parliament Session to repeal farm laws: Kisan Union

5:03 PM

Farmers from Gwalior leave for Delhi to join the protest against farm laws

5:01 PM

LIVE: Protesting farmers shifted to Dr Ambedkar Memorial Park from Mahamaya flyover road

4:47 PM

Farmers Protests LIVE: Anti-Modi govt sloganeering at Singhu border

As talks between the Centre and agitating farmers a day earlier remained inconclusive, farmers rallying at the Singhu border on Wednesday raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government even as their sit-in at the spot continued for the seventh day.

 

A group of farmers belonging to the Kisan Mazdoor Ekta Manch raised slogans on the Singhu entry point on the Delhi-Ambala route against the central government, the first time such sloganeering has been reported since November 26 when farmers began gathering on Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to stage protest against three central farm laws enacted in September.

 

The farmers -- sporting green, blue, pink, yellow and white turbans similar to their farm union's flag's colours and hailing from Punjab and Haryana -- shouted slogans like "Modi Sarkar Murdabad" and "Kisan Mazdoor Ekta Zindabad".

 

Thousands of farmers owing allegiance to over 32 farm unions are huddled on the Singhu and Tikri borders for the last seven days. Hundreds of farmers have blocked other Delhi border points like Ghazipur on the Delhi-Ghaziabad and Chilla on the Delhi-Noida.

4:40 PM

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh had several chances to stop farm bills but didn't: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal says Punjab CM Amarinder Singh had several chances to stop farm bills but did not do so.

4:28 PM

How can Punjab CM do such low-level politics in this fragile situation? asks Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

4:07 PM

RLD leader meets protesting farmers in Delhi, questions Centre's push for new farm laws

The farmers protesting against the Centre's new farm laws will not relent on their demands, Rashtriya Lok Dal vice president Jayant Chaudhary said on Wednesday and assured his party's support to the ongoing stir. He met with some of the agitating farmers at Singhu border in Delhi, but dubbed his meeting as non-political.

 

Everyone is concerned about the situation. It has been a couple of days since the stir began at the Delhi border, but the agitation in Punjab has been on since more than one-and-a-half months, Chaudhary said.

 

I went to meet the farmers because I felt it was my duty to do so. I went there to distribute langar 'prasad' to the farmers with 'seva bhaav' (feeling of service). It was not a political visit, he told PTI. The RLD leader said he met and spoke with several protestors and it looked like the farmers will not relent unless their demands are fulfilled.