LIVE: Farmer leaders plan hunger strike on Dec 14, escalating protests

In a bid to intensify the ongoing protests at Delhi borders, farmers will block the Delhi-Jaipur road today. Stay tuned for latest updates on farmers' protest

7:49 PM

Don't allow 'anti-social' elements to use your platform: Narendra Singh Tomar to protesting farmers

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday said some "anti-social elements" are conspiring to spoil the atmosphere of the peasants' movement under the guise of farmers and appealed the protesting farming community to be vigilant against their platform being misused. He also said the government is sensitive towards farmers and is in discussion with them and their representatives to resolve their concerns.

 

"A proposal to resolve the farmers' objection has also been sent to the farmers union and the government is ready for further discussion," Tomar tweeted.

 

Tagging a media report about posters coming up at farmers' Tikri Border protest site demanding release of some activists arrested under various charges, Tomar said, "Anti-social elements are conspiring to spoil the atmosphere of the peasant movement under the guise of farmers."

 

"I appeal to the peasant brothers to be vigilant and not provide their platform to such anti-social elements," he added.

7:17 PM

Govt sensitive towards farmers and in discussion with representatives: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

7:17 PM

Proposal to resolve farmers' issues sent to their unions: Agriculture Minister

7:01 PM

Anti-national forces behind farmers' protest: Union Minister Pratap Sarangi

Union Minister Pratap Sarangi on Friday said anti-national forces are behind the protest against the new farm laws. He said the farmers have nothing to do with the ongoing protests against the new farm reform laws.

 

"Be it farmers or leaders, nobody is above law. The farmers are being instigated by some people. Some anti-national forces are behind the ongoing farmers' protest. The protests have no basis," Sarangi said. He said the new farm laws have been enacted for the development and benefit of the farmers. The Minister said the Centre has assured that minimum support price (MSP) and mandi system will remain in the country.

 

"The middle-men will be affected following the enactment of the laws. The actual farmers are not protesting the farm laws. Some people having vested political interests are instigating the farmers," he added. He said the farmers have welcomed the Centre's farm laws which will benefit the farmers.

6:42 PM

Will block Delhi-Jaipur road and Reliance/Adani toll plazas: Bharatiya Kisan Union

6:42 PM

Have enough ammunition for winters, say protesting farmers

Taking a sip of tea sitting beside a bonfire at the Singhu border, 52-year-old Makkhan Singh Deol tapped on a carton full of roasted gram and said, "The farmers have enough ammunition for the winters." Numerous bonfires dot the GT-Karnal road, the "new home" of the protesting farmers who have been staying put at the Singhu border point of the national capital demanding withdrawal of the new farm reform laws.

 

A trolley containing jaggery, roasted gram and peanuts arrived on Friday morning from Gurdaspur, Punjab. Another containing dates and gajjak reached the Singhu border on Thursday evening to help the protesting farmers fight the biting cold.

 

"These are to keep us warm. Come and eat. You won't catch a cold," Deol tells this reporter. He just finished his tea and was now onto 'gajar halwa'.

 

According to Jagjeet Sandhu from Jalandhar-headquartered Shaheed Bhagat Singh Youth Federation, the farmers get tea, kheer and tomato soup twice a day to keep the cold at bay. Volunteers from a multitude of non-profit organisations have been supplying coffee, tea, milk, jaggery, dates, and peanuts to the farmers in their trolleys and sheds.

6:20 PM

BJP govt ignoring farmers; SP to organise sit-ins on Dec 14 : Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday accused the BJP of adopting a "heartless attitude" towards the demands of farmers and said the global response to their protest has "deeply" hurt the image of India worldwide. His party has been backing the farmers' protest against the Centre's three new farm laws.

 

"The BJP government is ignoring farmers by adopting a heartless attitude towards the justified demands of the agitators shivering on the streets. The global response that is coming to this has deeply hurt the democratic image of India worldwide. The BJP government should stop exploiting those who feed us," Yadav said in a tweet.

 

The Samajwadi Party (SP) president has asked party workers to organise peaceful sit-ins at district headquarters on December 14 in support of the farmers' agitation. The party is already taking out 'yatras' since December 7 in the state in their support. Farmer leaders on Wednesday vowed that they would intensify their agitation by blocking key highways linking Delhi and a nationwide protest on December 14.

5:50 PM

PM Modi asks farmers to listen to what Tomar, Goyal said on new farm laws

5:36 PM

BJP to hold nationwide programmes to highlight benefits of three farm laws

With some farmer unions intensifying their protest against the central government over the recent agri reforms, the BJP has decided to hold nationwide programmes, including 'chaupal' in rural areas, to highlight the benefits of three farm laws. Events, including press conferences and public programmes, will be held in most of the over 700 districts of the country in this regard. The development comes amid opposition parties' united support to the farmers' protest and attack on the Narendra Modi government over the issue.

 

The BJP has accused its rivals of misleading the farmers over the farm reforms and has alleged that opposition parties have been inciting them for selfish political interests. Some farmer unions and opposition parties have claimed that these reforms are aimed at helping the corporate sector in capturing the agriculture market at the cost of farmers' interests. The BJP has, however, asserted that these laws will give farmers more choice to sell their produce and rid them of middlemen.

 

Top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have repeatedly argued in favour of these laws and reiterated that the existing government support mechanism, like minimum support price and mandis, will continue.

5:12 PM

Farmers stir at Noida-Delhi border enters eleventh day

The farmers demonstration against the new farm laws continued at the Noida-Delhi border for the eleventh day, even as a key road linking Uttar Pradesh and the national capital was partially closed for vehicular movement on Friday. Farmers at the Chilla border are staging a sit-in on one carriageway of the Noida-Delhi Link Road which has been closed, while the other side (Delhi to Noida) remains open for movement, officials said.

 

Scores of protestors belonging to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) stayed put at the Chilla border, while those of BKU (Lok Shakti) continued to camp at the Dalit Prerna Sthal. One carriageway of the Noida-Delhi Link Road is open. People can come from Delhi to Noida, but the traffic movement on the other side continues to remain closed due to the stir, a Noida Traffic Police official said.

 

Commuters travelling to and fro Delhi can use the alternative Kalindi Kunj and the DND routes to avoid inconvenience. The protestors, belonging chiefly to the Bhanu and Lok Shakti factions of the Bharataiya Kisan Union (BKU), have gathered at the Noida border and want to proceed to Delhi to join the bigger stir called by farmers from Punjab and Haryana.

 

4:31 PM

Farmers will go home once Centre repeals three new laws: Bhartiya Kisan Union

With the farmers' protest in and around Delhi against the recently enacted farm laws entering 16th day, the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) on Friday reiterated that the agitation would not be withdrawn till the three Acts are repealed.

 

"There is only one way to end the stand-off between the Centre and the farmers. Both have to back down. The Centre will have to repeal the laws and the farmers will go home," said BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, adding that they don't want the amendments suggested by the central government.

 

Asked about the possibility of further dialogue with the government, the BKU spokesperson said that if the government sends an invitation for talks, the farmers will deliberate on the prospects of the further dialogue.

 

After rejecting the government's proposals on December 9, the protesting farmer unions said they will intensify their protest. The union leaders said that there will be sit-ins near BJP offices on December 14, adding that the Delhi-Jaipur highway will be blocked on December 12, giving a call to the farmers from other parts of the country to reach Delhi.

4:10 PM

LIVE: A mobile van set up for Covid-19 testing at Delhi-Haryana border

4:05 PM

BJP's reply to protest: Will hold Jan Sampark, Press Conference, 'chaupals' to educate on farm laws

Amid ongoing farmers protest on Delhi border areas against agri laws, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to organise series of measures including press conferences, 'chaupals' and Jan Sampark, in all the districts of the country on the issue of the new farm laws from Friday onwards. As many as 700 press conferences, hundreds of 'chaupals' and Jan Sampark will be organised in the coming days. BJP General Secretary discussed the issue through video conferencing with state 'prabharis' and state president on Thursday.

 

BJP led government have brought the laws with the aim to benefit the farmers, but the party says that farmers have been misguided by the opposition. Therefore, the party is starting the programmes to educate and inform farmers about the benefit of the laws.

 

BJP leaders are saying that opposition parties are spreading rumours regarding the reforms. In a bid to clear the rumours on the new laws, the BJP workers and leaders would be explaining the importance of the agriculture reforms.

 

The farmers' protest entered 16th day today. They have also planned to intensify the agitation over the next few days in which they have planned to block highways leading to Delhi, gherao BJP leaders and offices and bring out another 'Dilli Chalo' march on December 14.

3:22 PM

No reply from farmers on govt proposal, says Union Agriculture Minister

Amid the ongoing farmers' protest against the farm laws, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday said that the Central government has sent their proposal to the farmers union, adding that they have discussed it but have not responded to the same.

 

"Our proposal is with them (farmers), they discussed it but we have not received any reply from them. We came to know through media that they have rejected the proposal. Yesterday I had said that if they want to, we can definitely talk about the proposal," said Agriculture Minister NS Tomar. The Union Minister expressed hope that the government will be able to find the solution to the issues raised by the protesting farmers.

 

"I think we will find a solution. I am hopeful. I would like to urge the Farmer Unions that they should break the deadlock. The government has sent them a proposal. If there is an objection over the provisions of an Act, the discussion will be held over it," Union Minister Tomar said.

 

While reiterating the Centre's stand on willingness to hold talks, the Minister urged the farmers to stop the agitation and take the path of discussion. "In our proposal, we have made an effort to suggest a solution to their objections. They should leave agitation and take the path of discussion. The government is ready for talks," the minister said.

3:11 PM

Bhartiya Kisan Union approaches Supreme Court against three farm laws