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

7:38 PM

Agriculture Minister Narendra Sigh Tomar urges protesting farmers to continue talks

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Sigh Tomar and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday urged the farmers to give up the path of protest and continue talks to reach a solution on the issues related to the new farm legislations. Both the Cabinet ministers were addressing a press conference here, a day after the farmers' unions unanimously rejected the offer by the Centre to amend the laws recently enacted to bring reforms in agriculture and allied sectors.

 

As farmers' unions have started to accelerate their agitation with a call for blocking the expressways joining the national capital, the government has asked them to begin discussions again.

 

Tomar said the way of dialogue has not been broken yet and the farmers should not take any extreme measures. The government has given the farmers a propasl to remove their doubts about the new legislations.

7:19 PM

Farmers' stir LIVE: Key road connecting Noida-Delhi partially open

A key road connecting Noida and Delhi remained partially opened on Thursday even as farmers' protest against the new agriculture laws continued here for the 10th day. Scores of protestors belonging to Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) stayed put at the Chilla border, while those of BKU (Lok Shakti) continued to camp at the Dalit Prerna Sthal. The protesting farmers belonging to various districts of western Uttar Pradesh had blocked the Noida-Delhi Link Road that passes through the Chilla border but opened one carriageway on Wednesday evening after talks with the local police.

 

One carriageway of the Noida-Delhi Link Road is open while the other is closed. People can come from Delhi to Noida using that route but not otherwise, a Noida Traffic Police official said.

 

The official said commuters travelling to and fro Delhi can use the alternative Kalindi Kunj and the DND routes to avoid any hassle. "These two routes are completely open and the traffic flow is smooth, the official told PTI around 5 pm. The protestors who have gathered at the Noida border want to proceed to Delhi to join the bigger stir called chiefly by farmers from Punjab and Haryana.

7:05 PM

Group of sportspersons, farmers provide laundry services at Singhu border protest site

A group of sportspersons and farmers have started a laundry service using multiple washing machines at Delhi's Singhu border to help protesters there avoid trips back home to bring back clean clothes. The 12 sportspersons from Punjab and Haryana as well as four young farmers from Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) said the laundry service was started simply to make things easier for the farmers who are protesting at the Delhi-Haryana border against the Centre's three farm laws.

 

The washing machines run 8-10 hours everyday, they said, adding that farmers' phone numbers and details of their camping location are taken and washed clothes are delivered to them daily.

 

Jagjit Singh, who hails from Ludhiana and is one of the four BKU farmers, said he came up with the idea of offering the laundry service after he made multiple rounds between Singhu and his city just to get fresh sets of clothes. So when he went back to Ludhiana two days back, he and three of his friends not only got sets of clean clothes, but also bought two washing machines with them.

6:35 PM

Will block train tracks if demands not met: Farmer leaders

Farmers agitating against the Centre's new agri laws on Thursday said they will block railway tracks if their demands are not met and will announce the date soon. Addressing reporters at the Singhu border where they have been protesting for almost two weeks to demand a rollback of the law, 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," farmer leader Boota Singh said at the press conference. "Centre has admitted that laws have been made for traders. If agriculture is a state subject, Central govt does not have right to make laws on it," added Balbir Singh Rajewal, another leader.

 

Thousands of farmers have been protesting at various border points for almost two weeks seeking a repeal of the new laws, which they claim were aimed at benefitting corporates by weakening the mandi system and the minimum support price (MSP) regime for procurement of farm produce.

6:15 PM

If agriculture is a state subject, Central govt does not have right to make laws on it: Farmer leader

5:55 PM

Transport corporation staff, trade unions and farmer outfits take protest rallies in Bengaluru

5:48 PM

Indian government offers concessions as farmers intensify protests

India's government is open to amending some provisions in new farm laws, the agriculture minister said on Thursday, after farmers rejected proposed changes to the controversial laws they said would harm their interests and help big food retailers.

 

Farmers have been demonstrating since late last month over reforms enacted in September that loosened rules around the sale, pricing and storage of farm produce, which had protected farmers from an unfettered free market for decades.

 

"The government is open to amend objectionable provisions in the new laws," Narendra Singh Tomar told reporters, adding the current system of procurement that ensures state-set prices for crops would continue.

 

5:38 PM

If agriculture is State subject, govt doesn't have right to make laws regarding it: Bhartiya Kisan Union

5:29 PM

We urge unions again to return to discussion table: Agriculture Minister

5:23 PM

Govt keen and ready for discussions with protesting farmers; I'm hopeful of a resolution: Agriculture Minister

5:22 PM

Any law cannot be entirely defective, govt ready to discuss provisions: Agriculture Minister

5:14 PM

Govt very open and flexible to find amicable solution for benefit of farmers: Union Minister Piyush Goyal

5:12 PM

Take back 'black laws', fresh ones can be framed with stakeholders: Farmer leaders

A day after the farmers unions rejected the proposal of the Centre for amendments in the new agricultural laws, farmer leader from Punjab Boota Singh appealed to the government that the laws should be taken back and a fresh start made taking into account all the stakeholders.

 

"We only want that these laws should be taken back as they would cause great loss to the farmers, they are nothing but black laws and death warrants for not only the farmers but also the labourers, small traders and the whole nation," said Boota Singh Shadipur, President, Bharatiya Kisan Manch.

 

Singh said that if the government really wants to frame a law, it should start afresh and hold talks with the farmers; but first and foremost the newly passed laws should be taken back.

 

"We want to appeal to the Prime Minister that he should leave this stubbornness and take back these laws, the laws can be made afresh with the cooperation and unity of all the stakeholders," he said. Meanwhile, the protests against the newly passed agricultural laws entered the 15th day on Thursday.

5:09 PM

MSP will continue under new farm laws: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

5:05 PM

Farmers' unions should consider Govt proposal; ready for further talks: Narendra Singh Tomar

A day after protesting farmers rejected the government's offer for a written assurance on MSP and amend few provisions in the new farm laws, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday urged union leaders to consider the proposals and said he is ready for further discussions with them.

 

"The government is ready to consider with an open mind any provision in the new laws where farmers have any issues and we want to clarify all their apprehensions," Tomar said at a press conference. "We kept waiting for suggestions from farmers' leaders to address their concerns, but they are stuck on the repeal of laws," he said, while virtually ruling out conceding to the key demand with which thousands of farmers are protesting on various borders of the national capital for nearly two weeks.

 

Tomar said the government has always been ready for dialogue with farmers and it remains so.

 

"We are concerned about the farmers protesting in cold weather and during the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. Farmers' unions should consider the government's proposal at the earliest and then we can mutually decide on the next meeting, if required," the minister said.