LIVE: Farmers to block Chilla border between Delhi and Noida on Wednesday

Farmers' protest LIVE updates Day 20: 'Causing inconvenience to the public is not our aim," say farmers. 'We are sitting here under a compulsion'. Stay tuned for latest updates on farmers' protest

1:33 AM

99% farmers are with PM Modi, says BJP leader

BJP national General Secretary and Rajasthan in-charge Arun Singh on Monday said that 99 per cent of the country's farmers stand with the Narendra Modi-led Central government and those protesting in the borders of Delhi are "under the influence of Communists, Congressmen and separatists".

 

Addressing a press conference here at Rajasthan BJP headquarters, he said: "Those agitating have come under the influence of Communists, Congressmen and separatists. However, we are confident that we will be able to convince them too."

 

Singh said that the Congress has always cheated the farmers and currently, it is backing the farmers' movement.

12:05 AM

Police 'torturing' farmers in Uttar Pradesh, UttaraKhand to stop them from joining protests: Union

10:53 PM

Kejriwal, Amarinder Singh in Twitter spat over ongoing farmers' protest

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Amarinder Singh engaged in a Twitter spat on Monday over the ongoing farmers' protest against the three recently-enacted agriculture-related laws.

 

The war of words between the two leaders began after Singh, addressing a press conference at Chandigarh on Sunday, described as "theatrics" Kejriwal's announcement earlier during that day that he will observe a one-day fast on Monday in support of the protesting farmers.

 

Responding to Singh's comments, Kejriwal accused him of having "done a deal with the Centre to save your son from ED (Enforcement Directorate)''.

10:08 PM

AAP, SP members allege Noida Police not allowing them to protest

Some members of the Aam Aadmi Party and the Samajwadi Party on Monday alleged that they were prevented by police from carrying out demonstrations in support of farmers protesting the Centre's new farm laws.

 

However, police officials said the action was taken to ensure compliance of CrPC Section 144, which bars gathering of more than four people, and regulations imposed due to the pandemic.

 

The members belonged to Gautam Buddh Nagar units of AAP and SP.

 

AAP spokesperson Sanjeev Nigam alleged that his party's district unit president Bhupendra Jadaun was put under house arrest at his home in Noida.

9:48 PM

Farmers' protest may impact economic recovery: CII

The current agitation by farmers has led to supply chain disruptions, which will impact the economy in the coming days and may impinge upon the ongoing recovery from the economic contraction due to Covid-19, industry body CII said on Monday.

 

"Given the challenge to get the economy back on the growth trajectory, Confederation of Indian Industry urges all the stakeholders to urgently seek ways to end the ongoing protests and reach an amicable solution, in the interest of industry and economy," CII said.

 

The farmers' protest, which has intensified over the past couple of weeks, has led to obstruction of traffic and road blockades across multiple checkpoints in the northern states of Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, and in smaller measure in many other states.

 

The already broken supply-chain which was recovering post the pandemic-induced lockdown has come under severe stress, CII stated.

9:00 PM

LIVE: Don't 'blindly oppose' new farm laws, says MoS Kishan Reddy

Farmers and political parties should not 'blindly oppose' the farm laws or demand their repeal, but study them in detail as the Centre was ready to address their concerns, Union Minister of State Kishan Reddy said on Monday. The laws brought out by the Centre are in public domain and farmers could seek clarifications from any one, including himself, at any time, he said.

 

Reddy said the NDA government decided to reach out to farmers and outfits supporting their cause in view of attempts to 'provoke' them and bring a bad name to it by some who were unable to take on the BJP and the Prime Minister politically.

 

He said the NDA has tried to address problems in the farm sector like shortage of power and fertilisers and brought out initiatives like soil health cards, loans to farmers, crop insurance, eNAM, DBT to farmers and increasing Minimum Support Price, he said. The MoS for Home Affairs claimed that farmers all over the country, except in Punjab, have welcomed the new farm laws.

 

"We made a beginning for the revolutionary change that has been sought for decades in the agriculture sector.

8:41 PM

Day 19: Farmer leaders on daylong hunger strike as govt says no retrograde step' against agri sector

Farmer leaders on Monday went on a daylong hunger strike and their colleagues demonstrated in different parts of the country to push for a rollback of the new farm laws, as Union minister Rajnath Singh said there is no question of the government ever taking any retrograde step against the agriculture sector.

 

On Day 19 of the protest at Delhi's border points when agriculturalists from multiple states in the north intensified their movement, particularly at Delhi's gateways, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the government is engaging with them to decide on the next date of talks deadlocked after five rounds.

 

"The meeting will definitely happen. We are engaging with farmers," Tomar told PTI amid a flurry of meetings in the national capital to discuss the future course of action and separate groups meeting him and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

 

The government is ready for discussion anytime and farmer leaders have to "decide and convey" when they are ready for the next meeting, added Tomar, who is leading the negotiations with 40 farmer unions along with Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce and Industries Som Parkash.

 

8:12 PM

Over 2,000 women from protesting farmers' families to join in

Over 2,000 women from the families of farmers protesting against the Centre's new agri laws at Singhu Border here will join the ongoing agitation in the coming days, as peasants are set to intensify their protest further to press their demands. Farmer leaders said they are making arrangements to host the women members coming from various parts of Punjab -- tents are being put up, a separate langar is being planned, and extra temporary toilets are being arranged.

 

The aim is to give them a safe and comfortable environment to stay at the protest site, they said.

 

Farmer leader Harendir Singh Lakhowal said that a Delhi-based organisation donated around 2,00 tents on Sunday which are now being put up at Singhu as well as Tikri borders, especially for women. Shiv Kumar Kakka, one of the 33 farmers who observed hunger strike at Singhu border on Monday, said it is not an agitation of Punjab farmers alone, but of farmers from across the nation.

7:53 PM

Anna Hazare writes to Agriculture Minister, says will launch hunger strike if farmers issues not resolved

7:35 PM

Farmers' stir: Union leaders observe hunger strike; Kejriwal claims new laws will lead to inflation

Leaders of around 32 farmer unions observed a day-long hunger strike at Delhi's Singhu border on Monday to protest against the Centre's new farm laws. The unions claimed that demonstrations were also held at various district headquarters across the country. The hunger strike began at 8 am and ended at 5 pm even as talks with the government remained inconclusive. The unions claimed that more people expected to join the ongoing agitation, which entered the third week.

 

United Farmers' Front said leaders also observed a two minute-silence over the alleged deaths of over 20 protesters at Delhi borders in last 18 days.

 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday joined AAP leaders, MLAs and volunteers at the party office to observe fast in support of protesting farmers and said the three agri laws will lead to "immense inflation and just favour a few capitalists", as he termed the legislations "anti-farmer and anti-common man".

7:05 PM

Farmers' protest LIVE: Haryana MPs, MLAs meet Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

A delegation of Hayana MPs and MLAs on Monday met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, amid an ongoing protest by thousands of farmers on various borders of the national capital against three new central farm laws. Union Minister of State for Water Resources Ratanlal Kataria, Lok Sabha MPs Dharamveer Singh and Nayab Singh Saini and Rajya Sabha MP DP Vats and some MLAs were present in the meeting.

 

The meeting follows talks between Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala and Tomar on Saturday, after which the state leader had hoped that the talks between the Centre and the protesting farmer unions would resume soon to break the deadlock.

 

After meeting Tomar here, Chautala had said the crop procurement at the government-decided MSP (minimum support price) would be ensured for each farmer till the time he was part of the state government. Chautala had also met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Food, Railways and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, before meeting Tomar and had asserted that the Haryana government was stable as of now.

6:39 PM

LIVE: Farmer leaders at Singhu end hunger strike with 'Ardaas', fruits

The farmers leaders sitting on a day long hunger strike while protesting against the three new agricultural laws on Monday have ended their fast. They ended their fast after "Ardaas" of Guru Nanak Dev. They also appealed to other farmer leaders at other borders like Ghazipur to end their day long hunger strike.

 

They also prayed for the welfare of all (Sarbanth Bhala) and for the success of their cause by reciting Gurbani. The prayers ended with the slogan "Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji ki Fateh" resonating in the air at the Singhu border protest site. After ending their strike, the farmers leaders drank water and ate fruits like apples and oranges. hey had begun their fast at 8 a.m. on Monday.

6:34 PM

All India Kisan Coordination Committee members meet Tomar, extend support to farm laws

Ten organisations from various states such as Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Bihar and Haryana associated with All India Kisan Coordination Committee met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday to extend their support on three farm laws enacted by the government recently.

 

The committee submitted a memorandum to Tomar which said that some elements in the farmers' agitation in some parts of the country, especially in Delhi, were trying to create misunderstanding among farmers about the farm laws.

 

"The three laws that have been passed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to liberate India's agriculture system, we have come forward to support them. We know that some elements in the farmers' agitation in some parts of the country, specially in Delhi, are trying to create misunderstanding in farmers. The dawn of freedom that is visible after our untiring efforts and long struggle, some elements are trying to create misunderstanding among farmers to turn it into dark night. To fulfil our responsibility towards crores of farmers of the country, we have come from different parts of the country to meet you," the memorandum said.

6:02 PM

Agri laws 'anti-farmer', will lead to immense inflation: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said the new farm laws will lead to immense inflation and will only favour a few capitalists, as he termed the legislations "anti-farmer and anti-common man". Kejriwal, who joined AAP leaders, MLAs and volunteers at the party office in observing a day-long fast in support of the protesting farmers, said the new farm laws "gives license to inflate".

 

Farmer leaders on Monday started their day-long hunger strike against the Centre's new farm laws and said protests will be held at all district headquarters later in the day, even as more people are expected to join the ongoing agitation at Delhi border points. Addressing volunteers, Kejriwal said this law says people can hoard as much as they want.

 

"I appeal to parties to stop playing dirty politics over farmers' issue. These laws are anti-farmer and anti-aam aadmi and are aimed to benefit a few capitalists. These laws will lead to immense inflation through hoarding. These legislations gives license to inflate," Kejriwal said.

 

Due to these laws, wheat will be become four times more expensive in the coming years, he said.

 

"Don't think you are doing a favour by supporting farmers. Farmers are doing a favour by protesting against these laws," he said.

5:57 PM

Agri laws 'anti-farmer', will lead to immense inflation: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal