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

Farmers gather for a speech at a protest site at a road block on the Delhi-Haryana border crossing in Singhu, Delhi | (Bloomberg)

Farmers' protest LIVE updates Day 17: With farmers gearing up to block the highway and picket toll plazas on the border to Delhi today in response to a call from protesting farmer unions to intensify their agitation against the three farm laws, police personnel have been deployed in strength to protect toll booths and ensure smooth flow of traffic, Faridabad Police said.

As many as 3,500 police personnel will be deployed at the five toll plazas in the area, a statement said.

The ongoing protest of the farmers against the three new agriculture laws has entered its 17th day on Saturday with the farmers' unions now threatening to block railway tracks.

Stay tuned for farmers' protest LIVE UPDATES

8:05 PM

Farmers' group from Haryana in support of new laws meet Agriculture minister, threatens to protest if repealed

8:02 PM

New farm laws brought in to loot farmers, withdraw them: Akhilesh Yadav to BJP govt

7:52 PM

We fully trust the farmers of India, they are peace-loving and they are our annadatas: Piyush Goyal

7:17 PM

Members of a Gurdwara from Gurdaspur (Punjab) prepare food to be served to protesting farmers at Singhu border

6:50 PM

Farmers consider expanding protests to 'pan-India' scale

Getting no positive signal from the Central government about rolling back the three contentious farm laws enacted in September, farmers protesting on the national capital's different borders on Saturday announced their plan to expand the demonstrations and expand them to a 'pan-India' scale, appealing all sections of society, including girls and women, to join them.

Declaring that they'll hold a day long 'hunger strike' on December 14, farmers representatives of 32 different unions jointly announced their plans for a 'pan-India' protest if the government does not accept their demands and withdraws the three laws -- The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Addressing a press conference at Singhu border, Kisan Sangharsh Samiti President Kawalpreet Singh Pannu said: "We have decided to expand this movement pan India."

6:30 PM

Ready for talks with govt, but will first discuss repealing agri laws: Farmer leaders

6:30 PM

New farm laws to help farmers get remunerative price: Bengal BJP chief

6:15 PM

Union Minister Tomar holds meeting with farmers' leaders from Haryana

6:06 PM

Govt tried to weaken our agitation, but we will not allow this, say farmer leaders, and vow to keep protest against new laws peaceful

5:46 PM

If govt wants to hold talks, we are ready; but we will first discuss repeal of three new farm laws: Farmer leaders

5:40 PM

On 14th December, all farmer leaders will sit on a fast sharing same stage at Singhu border: Farmer Unions

5:11 PM

Protesting farmers 'unwilling' to undergo Covid-19 test, says Sonipat medical officer

With the shadow of coronavirus looming large over protest sites, the Sonipat district administration is offering testing facility to farmers protesting the Centre's new agri laws but most of them are "unwilling" to get tested, fearing they would be isolated if found positive and this would "weaken" their agitation.

Farmers' leaders said the new farm laws pose a "greater threat" to the lives of protesters than Covid-19.

Thousands of farmers have been camping at Delhi's different border points for over two weeks, demanding a repeal of the three agriculture reform laws.

Senior Medical Officer (Sonipat) Anvita Kaushik, who is also the in-charge of medical facilities at the Singhu border protest site, said despite her team's "best efforts", farmers are not willing to get tested for Covid-19.

5:05 PM