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

3:03 AM

Faridkot farmer cycles 400 km to reach Tikri border with poem of 'Pash'

Armed with hope and a revolutionary poem by noted Punjabi poet 'Pash', a farmer cycled nearly 400 km from Fardikot to the Tikri border here to join the massive protest by peasants against the new farm laws.
 

Wearing a kurta-pyjama with a sleeveless warm jacket and sporting a bright green turban, Pal Sandhu, a resident of Rameana village in Faridkot district of Punjab, on Monday listened intently to the speeches made by farmer leaders at the protest site near the Delhi-Haryana border.
 

His cycle, a new model decked up with cardboards displaying the poem 'Sab Ton Khatarnak' (the most dangerous ) in Punjabi by Avtar Singh Sandhu or 'Pash' as the revolutionary was famously known, attracted the attention of protesters and passers-by, many of whom took pictures with him.
 

"I felt restless back home," the 45-year-old said.
 

"I could not control myself after knowing about the condition of my fellow farmers who are braving the chilling winter and so many difficulties for a common goal. My brother had come a few days ago in a tractor-trolley, which is parked at the Tikri border protest site. I decided to leave too and rode till here on a bicycle," Sandhu told PTI.
 

The Faridkot farmer said he had started from his home on December 19 at 8 AM and rode till 6:30 PM that day before resting.
 

"The next day, I started early at 6 AM from mid-way, and then reached Tikri Border protest site at around 6:30 PM yesterday. When one is pumped up with a spirit of shared struggle, tiredness doesn't come. We are farmers, hardship is our life," he said.

Asked how he managed to get food for two days to sustain his long journey, Sandhu, who has a wife and son back home, said, "sab Guru ki kripa se ho gaya (it was managed with the blessings of the Guru)".
 

"On the way, people saw the Bharat Kisan Union flag planted on my cycle and they gave me food and hot water. Many more people are travelling every day to join the protests at Tikri and Singhu borders. There is a feeling of solidarity among people right now," he said.
 

Reading aloud the revolutionary poem by 'Pash' to those gathered around him, he explained why he chose to carry placards with its verses written on them.
 

"Pash was a visionary and raised his voice against oppression and injustice. Today, if we sit at home and not become part of this movement, then we are 'living dead'... as the poet had said, 'murda shanti se bhar jana'. We are all here, because we farmers don't want our dreams to become nightmares".
 

'Sab Ton Khatarnak', one of the most iconic works of contemporary poetry with trenchant words, has become a slogan of resistance at many protests. Poems by 'Pash' are often carried on placards and banners in protest rallies across the country.

3:02 AM

Farmers from Maharashtra leave for Delhi to join protests

Thousands of farmers from Maharashtra on Monday left for Delhi from Nashik to join the ongoing agitation by cultivators seeking the repeal of three agri laws passed by the Centre.
 

The farmers, who started off in private vehicles, were led by leaders of the Kisan Sabha.
 

Before proceeding to Delhi in afternoon, the farmers burnt effigies of Central leaders.
 

A Kisan Sabha leader said farmers from 21 districts in Maharashtra are on their way to Delhi.
 

He said agriculturists from Maharashtra have been demanding waiving of 'inflated' power bills and implementation of the recommendations of the M S Swaminathan Commiittee.
 

Their other demands include an aid of Rs 50,000 per acre to those farmers whose crops were damaged due to unseasonal rains.
 

Addressing the gathering of farmers, Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha leaders Ashok Dhawale and Ajit Navale criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) over the agri laws.
 

They alleged that the new farm laws were enacted with the sole purpose of benefiting select corporates at the cost of farmers.
 

11:50 PM

Centre neglected our interests: Farmers

Farmers protesting against agriculture laws on Jaipur-Delhi highway in Alwar's Shahjahapur on Monday accused the Centre of not looking into their demands despite a threat to their livelihood. The livelihood of farmers is at stake but the government is paying no heed to their demands, they told reporters.

Farmer leader Balvinder Singh from Kota said they feed crores of people but their interests have been neglected by the Centre. Singh said the Centre should withdraw the farm laws and threatened to intensify the agitation if their demand was not met. Due to the agitation, the Jaipur-Delhi highway is partially blocked since the past nine days.

11:49 PM

'Sanyukt Kisan Morcha' appeals to Bihar farmers to join agitation against agri laws

Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, a joint forum of farmers' organisations, protesting at the Delhi borders against the Centre's farm laws on Monday appealed to the farmers in Bihar to join the agitation to get the benefit of minimum support price (MSP) for their produce. At a press conference, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni said the three farm laws were brought to benefit the capitalists and reiterated the demand to withdraw them and provide legal guarantee for MSP of 23 crops.

The "maximum impact" of disintegration of Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) has been seen in Bihar. The farmers in Bihar have been forced to the verge of misery and to seek employment in other states since they do not get the MSP for their crops, a statement said. "Due to non implementation of MSP, the farmers and workers in Bihar have been completely devastated. A movement is currently underway for implementation of MSP in Bihar and the entire country. The farmers and workers in Bihar should actively join it," Chaduni said in the statement.

All the farmers bodies in the country are fighting the joint battle on behalf of the farmers in the country under the banner of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha. The farmers are agitating under the open sky and biting cold since November 27 at Delhi borders, it said. "We request Bihar farmers that if MSP is guaranteed by law, the paddy will be purchased at Rs 1,888 per quintal and maize at Rs 1,850 per quintal instead of Rs 1,000 and Rs 800 per quintal respectively.

"Prices of other crops will also increase and condition of farmers will change. It is therefore highly required that farmers from Bihar join this movement to save the farmers and people from this loot," said the statement.

10:47 PM

Centre trying to tire out farmers: Sukhbir Singh Badal

The Centre is trying to tire out farmers by starting talks from the very beginning again. This is a futile exercise when farmer organisations have already rejected three agriculture laws and want them repealed: SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal

9:18 PM

Arhtiyas in Punjab to keep shops shut from Tuesday in protest against tax raids

Arhtiyas in Punjab will keep their shops shut for four days from Tuesday in protest against income tax raids allegedly conducted to intimidate them for supporting farmers’ stir against Centre’s agriculture laws: Federation of Arhtiyas, according to PTI

8:41 PM

Welfare of farmers, agriculture industry at core of govt initiatives: 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. READ MORE...

 

8:10 PM

Punjab farmer attempts suicide near Singhu border, admitted to Rohtak's PGIMS

A 65-year-old Punjab farmer protesting against the Centre's agriculture laws attempted suicide by taking some poisonous substance near the Delhi's Singhu border on Monday, a police official said. Niranjan Singh, who hails from Punjab's Tarn Taran, was admitted to the Rohtak's PGIMS and his condition is stated to be stable, according to a PTI report.

 

Before the suicide bid, the farmer left a note behind, which is being verified by police. We are in the process of recording his statement, the official said when asked about the reason behind the suicide attempt.

 

The incident comes close on the heels of a Sikh preacher, Sant Ram Singh, allegedly committing suicide near the Singhu border last week as he was unable to bear the pain of the farmers. On Saturday, a 22-year-old farmer had allegedly committed suicide in Punjab's Bathinda after returning from a protest site near the Delhi border.

7:28 PM

Social media crucial for our agitation: Farmers on Facebook shutting down protest page

A day after Facebook temporarily shut down a page on the ongoing farmers agitation against the Centre's new farm laws, the protestors on Monday said social media was crucial for their movement as it allowed them to tell the truth in their our own words. The social media giant had Sunday evening shut down the page of Kisan Ekta Morcha' that shares official updates on the agitation, only to restore it three hours later following social media outrage.

 

The Kisan Ekta Morcha's Instagram page was also temporarily suspended.

 

Social media plays an important role in our movement. While all kinds of media are writing about us, social media helps us tell our truth in our own words. The godi' media will never show the reality, but on social media, we can share what is actually happening, Himmat Singh, a farmer camping at Singhu border, said.

7:09 PM

Members of farmer's union in Nashik move towards Delhi to support farmers' protest

6:46 PM

Another Punjab farmer tries to commit suicide at Singhu border

A 65-year-old farmer from Punjab tried to commit suicide by consuming poison at the Delhi-Haryana Singhu border in protest against the Centre's farm laws, IANS reported. The victim, Niranjan Singh from Tarn Taran, was admitted to the Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences or PGIMS in Rohtak, where his condition is out of danger.

 

Earlier, Sikh priest Baba Ram Singh committed suicide at Singhu border on December 16 by shooting himself.

 

He belonged to Nanaksar Gurdwara in Singhra village in Haryana's Karnal district. The 65-year-old 'sant' left a suicide note which states that he couldn't see the ordeal of farmers who are protesting against the farm laws.

6:21 PM

Several protesting farmers queue up at Singhu border to register for blood donation camp

Several protesting farmers queued up here at the Singhu border on Monday to register their names for a blood donation camp set up by a Ludhiana-based NGO. More than 240 protesting farmers have so far donated blood at the camp, which began on Sunday and has been set up by Rehras Sewa Society. A four-member team of the NGO, along with nine members of the blood bank, started their camp here at the Singhu border on Sunday around 10.30 am and by 5 pm, 190 farmers had donated blood.

 

Sukhminder Singh, president of Rehras Sewa Society, said, "On the first day of our camp, we got a very good response from people here. Around 190 people donated blood, which was overwhelming. So, we decided to extend our camp."

 

When asked what promoted them to start the camp, Singh said Ludhiana has over 18 blood banks but ever since lockdown was implemented, no blood donation camps could be organised. Citing acute shortage of blood in many banks, he said people from across Punjab come to Ludhiana to avail medical facilities.

5:58 PM

West Bengal CM requests Agriculture Minister to transfer funds under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme

5:21 PM

Nothing new in govt's letter, always ready for talks but Centre must offer 'concrete solution': Farmer leaders

Farmer leaders on Monday said they are always ready for dialogue as long as the government is offering a "concrete solution", but claimed that there is nothing new in the Centre's latest letter to them seeking a date for the next round of talks. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said that the government, in its letter, mentioned that it wants to hold talks over its earlier proposal of amendments in the new agri laws.

 

"On this issue (government's proposal), we did not talk to them earlier. We are currently discussing how to respond to the government letter," Tikait told PTI.

 

The sixth round of talks on December 9 was cancelled. In the letter to 40 union leaders, the Agriculture Ministry Joint Secretary Vivek Aggarwal on Sunday asked them to specify their concerns over its earlier proposal of amendments in the laws and choose a convenient date for the next round of talks so that the ongoing agitation could end at the earliest.

4:55 PM

Farmers' Protest LIVE: Agitating farmers at Ghazipur (Delhi-UP) border block road