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

2:58 PM

Farmers should end their agitation in interest of common people: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

2:48 PM

Rahul Gandhi attacks govt over farm incomes

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday attacked the government, alleging that it wants the income of farmers in the country to be as low as that earned by those in Bihar. The former party chief cited a media report that claimed that an agricultural household in Punjab earns the highest in a year, while it was lowest in Bihar.

 

"The farmer wants his income to be as much as that of farmers of Punjab. The Modi government wants the income of all farmers of the country to be as much as that of Bihar farmers," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

 

The survey cited by Gandhi showed that an average Indian agricultural household earns Rs 77,124 in a year, with Punjab farmers earning Rs 2,16,708 annually and that of Bihar only Rs 42,684. The Congress has been attacking the government over the new farm laws and has alleged that these will lower farmers' income.

2:10 PM

Not received any reply from farmers regarding the proposal: Agriculture Minister

2:06 PM

Farmers plan protests at toll plazas, memorandums to DCs

As part of their plan to intensify their agitation, farmers rallying on the Ghazipur entry point on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border said on Friday that they would hold dharnas at toll plazas and also submit memorandums to district authorities across the country. Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, who along with his supporters are rallying at Ghazipur border, told IANS: "On December 12, we will protest at the toll plazas across the country." The protest would be against the central government and the corporates.

 

"On December 14, all District Magistrates across the country will be handed over memorandums by our supporters to be forwarded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek repeal of the three new farm laws," he added.

 

He asserted that the protesting farmers would also hold 'Kisan Kranti March' at 11 am daily to lodge their protests till the Centre did not agree to their demands. Banners and posters regarding various farmers' issues would be put up at the Ghazipur border to make the public aware of the matter.

1:31 PM

Farmers' protest: Several roads remain closed in Delhi

With thousands of farmers protesting against the Centre's new agri laws staying put at Delhi borders, several routes in the national capital remained off bounds for commuters on Friday.

 

The Delhi Traffic Police took to Twitter to inform people about road closures and advised them to take alternative routes to avoid inconvenience.

 

Farmers from different states have been camping at Delhi's Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Chilla (Delhi-Noida) border points for nearly two weeks now to demand a repeal of the farm laws enacted in September.

1:24 PM

Repeal farm laws, don't want amendments, says farmer leader

Farmer leader Baldev Singh on Friday said that farmers don't want amendments to farm laws and want them repealed alleging that these Acts were created in the interest of big companies.

 

"We don't want amendments to farm laws. These laws are in the interest of big companies and they should be repealed. We are blocking the Delhi-Jaipur road on December 12," Singh told ANI.

11:26 AM

Bharatiya Janata Party to organise press conferences and 'chaupals'

Bharatiya Janata Party to organise press conferences and 'chaupals' in all the districts of the country on the new farm bills from today. 700 press conferences and 700 'chaupals' to be organised in the coming days.

9:59 AM

Farmers’ Protest LIVE Updates: Two IPS officers who were leading the police force at Singhu border have tested positive for Covid-19

Farmers’ Protest LIVE Updates: Two IPS officers who were leading the police force at Singhu border where hundreds of farmers have been on protest have tested positive for Covid-19, the Delhi Police said today, leading to fears of the disease’s spread in the crowd.

9:39 AM

Farmers' protest: Charity service from Amritsar provides meals to agitating farmers

9:02 PM

Accept farmers' demands with immediate effect: Sachin Pilot to Centre

8:54 PM

We strongly condemn Centre's stand of not taking back black laws: Shiromani Akali Dal chief

8:45 PM

Farmers' protest: Govt says ready to discuss its proposals; Unions threaten to intensify stir

Virtually ruling out repealing of new farm laws, the government on Thursday asked farmer groups to consider its proposals for amending the Acts to address their concerns and said it is open to discussing its offer further whenever the unions want, but protesters remained defiant and threatened to block railway tracks too in addition to highways.

 

As the issue remained deadlocked with both sides sticking to their respective positions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while laying the foundation stone for a new Parliament building, invoked Guru Nanak to underscore the importance of dialogue and noted that the Sikh Guru had said that interaction should continue till eternity.

 

A day after protesting farmers rejected the government's offer for a written assurance on Minimum Support Price (MSP) and amend few provisions in the new farm laws, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said at a press conference that union leaders must consider the proposals and said he is ready for further discussions with them, but left it to the farmer groups to propose a date for the next round of talks.

8:39 PM

LIVE: Our protests will continue peacefully, says Bharatiya Kisan Union

8:19 PM

Protesting farmers threaten to block railway tracks if demands not met by govt

The farmers who have been agitating for the past two weeks against the new agri laws on Thursday announced that they will block railway tracks if their demands are not met by the government. The farmer unions, which held a meeting on Thursday, said they will soon announce a date for blocking tracks across the country.

 

Addressing reporters at the Delhi's Singhu border where they have been protesting for almost two weeks to demand a rollback of the agri laws, the farmer unions also reiterated that they will intensify their agitation and start blocking all highways leading to the national capital.

 

"We will block railway tracks if our demands are not met. We will decide on the date and announce it soon. The blocking of tracks will not be limited to Haryana and Punjab but it will be done across the country," farmer leader Boota Singh said at the press conference.

 

The announcement by farmers came on the day Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said it was not proper to announce the next stage of agitation when talks were continuing and urged the unions to return to the discussion table. Tomar also urged farmer union leaders to consider proposals sent to them to break the deadlock over protests against the three new farm laws and said the government is ready for further discussions with them any time.

8:04 PM

SCBA condemns repressive measures against protesting farmers

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Thursday passed a resolution condemning the use of repressive measures against farmers protesting peacefully against Centre's new agriculture laws. A statement issued by SCBA said: "The Executive Committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association has been dismayed to read reports in the media about the use of brute force to break up peaceful protests, where citizens raise their voices against State actions which they believe denigrate their basic rights."

 

The committee said the recent legislation on farm produce, which excludes the jurisdiction of civil courts, followed by use of force to prevent the farmers from holding non-violent protests for their rights is a case in point.

 

"The Executive Committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association has unanimously resolved to condemn the use of force and repressive measures against peaceful protesters, and calls upon all concerned Governments to uphold and protect the Constitutional right of all citizens to peaceful protest," it added.