LIVE updates: Punjab farmer attempts suicide near Singhu border; admitted

Farmers' protest LIVE updates: Farmer was admitted to the Rohtak's PGIMS and his condition is stated to be stable. Stay tuned for latest updates on farmers' protest

Farmers light candles to pay tribute to those who lost their lives during the agitation, at Singhu border in New Delhi on Sunday | PHOTO: PTI

4:35 PM

Youth Cong protests outside Krishi Bhawan, demands justice for farmers

Congress' youth outfit IYC on Monday demonstrated against the Centre's agri laws at the Krishi Bhawan here and demanded justice for the farmers who have died during the over three week long stir at Delhi borders. The farmers have gathered at all the borders of Delhi in the biting cold and are demanding that the government repeal the "black laws", said Srinivas B V, president of Indian Youth Congress (IYC).

"In the last 25 days, more than 25 farmers have been martyred in this movement. The government should not underestimate the strength of farmers," he said.

Some of the protesters who tried to get past a police barricade near Krishi Bhawan, were detained and taken to Mandir Marg Police Station, said Rahul Rao, national media incharge of IYC.

4:16 PM

Protesting farmer leaders to meet those farmers supporting agri laws: Bhartiya Kisan Union

Farmer union leaders will meet those farmers who are supporting Centre on the three farm laws and will take information from them about the benefits they will get from the laws, said Rakesh Tikait, Spokesperson, Bhartiya Kisan Union on Monday.

"We will go and meet those farmers' groups who are supporting the Centre on three Farm laws," said Tikait. "We will take information from them about how they are benefitting from Farm laws and will learn the technology, which they are using to sell their crops," he added.

Meanwhile, farmers have decided to sit on a relay hunger strike from today. "Everyday eleven farmers will sit on hunger strike for 24 hours," said Balwant Singh, Secretary, BKU Punjab. "List of names have been prepared for the relay hunger strike," he added.

3:49 PM

Group of farmers sit on relay fast against farm laws in UP

A group of 11 farmers here sat on an indefinite relay fast against the three agri laws in Bindki area, police said on Monday. The farmers, led by District Panchayat member Bablu Kalia, sat on the relay fast from Sunday at Ambedkar party, Station House Officer Bindki Satyendra Singh said.

Bablu said that the new farm laws are "death warrant" for the farmers and they will protest it till they are withdrawn. The SHO said that on Sunday they left after giving memorandum to the district administration but on Monday they again came and are sitting on the fast.

3:20 PM

BJD backs farmers MSP demand;says will not allow anybody tarnish Patnaik's clean image

Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal supported farmers demand for Minimum Support Price and resolved to fight for implementation of M S Swaminathan Committee report on the issue. The party stated that inclusive development of the farmers has always been a key focus of the BJD government in the state.

"Our party is with the farmers on MSP issues and we will continue our fight for the same as per the Swaminathan Committee recommendations," the party said in one of the resolutions passed at its state executive commnittee meeting that ended last evening.

The Odisha cabinet had at a recent meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik approved a proposal to demand the Centre to implement Swaminathan committee recommendations on MSP. The Naveen Patnaik-led party has opposed the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and the Farm Services Act, in Parliament.

2:25 PM

Will meet those farmers' groups who're supporting farm laws: Bhartiya Kisan Union

2:13 PM

Qawwals, other artistes voice support to protesting farmers

With the protest by farmers on the Delhi borders continuing for nearly a month now, more and more artistes are coming out in their support. Well-known qawwali singers Sabri Sufi Brothers and other artistes visited the Singhu entry point and voiced their support to the farmers.

The Sabri Sufi Brothers reached the Singhu border on Sunday and also distributed food items and blankets to the farmers protesting in the bone-chilling cold. They were accompanied by singer Pinky Paras, artistes Kamsar Hayat Nizami and Naushad Baba from Ajmer Sharif dargah at Sarwar in Rajasthan.

"We have come to the Singhu border to extend our support to the protesting farmers. The farmers are camping on the roads in such shivering cold. We have distributed 1,500 blankets to the farmers as well as 1,500 packets of food items," a statement on behalf of the Sabri Sufi Brothers IANS said.

1:41 PM

Special Kerala Assembly session on Dec 23 to discuss farm laws

The CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala on Monday decided to convene a special session of the state assembly on December 23 to discuss the three contentious farm laws enacted by the Centre recently. The decision in this regard was taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan this morning.

The cabinet also decided to recommend to the Governor to convene the special session, CMO sources told P T I.

Finance Minister Thomas Isaac in a tweet said: "Kerala cabinet decided to convene a special session of the legislative assembly on 23rd December before the scheduled session to discuss and reject the controversial farm laws. Kerala in total solidarity with the farmers struggle."

1:18 PM

Farmers' protest: Farmer dies due to cold in UP's Banda district

A 62-year-old farmer allegedly died due to cold in Uttar Pradesh's Pachnehi village and according to his son, he was rushed to a hospital after he fainted while working in a field, police said on Monday.

Ram Kishore was on Sunday taken to the hospital, where he was declared brought dead, they said.

"Prima facie it appears that he died due to cold. The body has been sent for postmortem to ascertain the exact cause of death," District Hospital Emergency Service Officer Dr Abhishek said.

12:46 PM

Welfare of farmers, agriculture industry at core of govt initiatives, says Prakash Javadekar

Amid the ongoing farmers' protests, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday said that the welfare of farmers and the agriculture industry is at the core of all Centre's initiatives and that the Narendra Modi government is doing its best to bring about emerging technologies in the field of agriculture.

Talking about the government's initiatives in the National e-Governance Project for Agriculture (NeGPA), Javadekar said the welfare of farmers and the agriculture industry is at the core of all Centre's initiatives.

"Modi Government is doing its best to bring about emerging technologies in agriculture by upgrading the National e-Governance Project for Agriculture (NeGPA).The welfare of farmers and the agriculture industry is at the core of all these initiatives by the govt," Prakash Javadekar tweeted.

11:54 AM

Farmers start day-long 'relay' hunger strike to protest against agri laws

Intensifying their agitation against the Centre's new agri laws, farmers began their day-long 'relay' hunger strike on a chilly Monday morning at all sites of protest on Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Protesting farmers will participate in the hunger strike in batches and the first has 11 members, according to farmer leaders. Read on...

11:51 AM