LIVE: Man dies by suicide at Delhi border where farmers are protesting

Farmers' protest LIVE updates Day 21: SC may form a committee having representatives of the government and farmer unions across India. Stay tuned for latest updates on farmers' protest

1:55 AM

Activist offers to mediate between protesting farmers, govt

Noted social activist P V Rajagopal on Wednesday offered to mediate between the agitating farmers and the government on the issue of three new farm laws, and said he would embark on a foot-march from Morena to Delhi on Thursday in support of the cultivators.

 

Thousands of farmers have been camping at several Delhi border points for 21 days on the trot to press for repeal of the Centre's new farm laws.

 

Talking to reporters here, Rajagopal, who is the head of the Ekta Parishad, said, "Although nobody has asked me to mediate on the issue, I am moved by the fact that farmers have been agitating since the last 20 days in the chilling cold, and there is a need to start a dialogue on the matter."

10:16 PM

Congress targets govt over death of Sikh preacher

The Congress on Wednesday targeted the central government after a Sikh preacher, who was supporting the farmers' stir against the farm laws, allegedly committed suicide near the Singhu border.

 

Police had said that they had received a call that Sant Ram Singh (65) had shot himself, and they were trying to verify a handwritten note in Punjabi, purportedly left behind by him, that says he was unable to bear the "pain of farmers".

 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the Modi government should quit its "stubbornness" and withdraw the laws.

9:29 PM

Does Rahul Gandhi know anything about farming: MP CM

Does Rahul Gandhi know anything about farming? He doesn't know whether jaggery is made from sugarcane or comes out of machine. People working against nation's interests have entered farmers' agitation, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said at a gathering in Jabalpur.

9:03 PM

Stop holding parallel talks with other farmer bodies: Protesting farmer unions to govt

An umbrella body of 40 farmer unions protesting against the new agri laws at several Delhi border points on Wednesday asked the Centre to stop holding "parallel talks" with other farmer bodies over the contentious legislations.

 

With the government saying that it is waiting for the reply of peasant leaders, the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha said that there was no question of responding as the farmer unions had made their stand clear in the last round of meeting with Union ministers that they want the laws to be repealed.

 

In a letter to Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Joint Secretary Vivek Aggarwal, the Morcha said the Centre should also stop "defaming" the ongoing protests being held against the farm laws.

 

The letter by the Morcha, which represents farmer bodies mostly from Punjab, comes against the backdrop of the government holding talks with several farmers' organisations from different states who the Centre claimed have extended their support to the new agriculture laws.

9:02 PM

Protesting farmer shoots himself dead at Singhu border

As the farmers' agitation against the new agricultural laws entered its 21st day, a 65-year-old farmer committed suicide at the Singhu border protest site on Wednesday, IANS reported. The deceased has been identified as Baba Ram Singh of Singhra village in Nissing area of Haryana's Karnal district.

 

The farmer left a suicide note which states that he couldn't see the ordeal of farmers who are sitting on the outskirts of the national capital protesting against the recently-passed farm laws.

9:02 PM

Farmers' interest Modi govt's top priority: BJP chief J P Nadda

Lauding the Union Cabinet's nod for Rs 3,500 crore subsidy for sugar mills, BJP president J P Nadda said on Wednesday that farmers' interest is always the top priority for the Modi government. He also noted that Rs 6,700 crore has been approved for consolidation of electricity infrastructure for socio-economic development in all the six northeast states.

 

The national security directive on the telecommunication sector has also been approved and it will help in keeping India safe and secure, the BJP chief said.

 

The government on Wednesday approved a subsidy of Rs 3,500 crore to sugar mills for the export of 60 lakh tonnes of the sweetener during the ongoing marketing year 2020-21 as part of its efforts to help them clear outstanding dues to sugarcane farmers. Nadda said, "Today's Cabinet announcement of export subsidy on sugar not only solves the problem of excess production but also gives Rs 27,000 crore, approx, to five crore sugarcane farmers and benefits 5 lakh labourers.

8:30 PM

LIVE: Man dies by suicide at Delhi border where farmers are protesting

Baba Ram Singh, a Sikh priest from Haryana, who had joined the farmers' protest, died by suicide Wednesday, media reports. Singh said in a note he was sacrificing his life "to express anger and pain against the government's injustice", NDTV reported. Singh, 65, shot himself, the police said.

8:12 PM

LIVE: Man dies by suicide at Delhi border where farmers are protesting

8:12 PM

Farmers continue to camp at Ghazipur (Delhi-UP border) to protest against farm laws

7:59 PM

Opposition misleading Punjab farmers; will find solution soon: Agriculture Minister

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Wednesday said farmers in the entire country are supporting the three agri laws but cultivators from Punjab are being "misled" into protest by Opposition, even as he expressed hope to find a solution "soon" to the ongoing impasse. Speaking to reporters here, Tomar said talks were being held with farmer organisations, including those from Punjab, and a "solution will be found soon".

 

"We are talking to farmer organisations and also those from Punjab. We will soon find a solution on the issue. The opposition is trying to mislead farmers, but it will not succeed," Tomar said. He said the new agriculture reforms will change the lives of the farmers.

 

"Majority of farmers in the country are supporting the new farm laws. Many organisations have met me on this issue. Farmers of Punjab are a little angry, but we will find a solution soon," the minister said.

7:01 PM

Farm Acts already national laws; States need not notify separately: Experts

Amid ongoing protests by thousands of farmers against three new Farm Acts and assertions by some states that they would not notify these legislations, government officials and constitutional experts said these are already national laws and therefore states are not required to notify them separately.

 

The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 -- are three farm laws which the central government notified in the 'Gazette of India' on September 27 after receiving the President's assent.

 

A senior Agriculture Ministry official told PTI: "The three farm laws enacted by the central government are national laws. They have come into force across the country from the date of notification. So, a separate notification by each state is not required." In some states, farmers are already taking advantage of various provisions of these legislations. Asked if there was a special provision for the Delhi government which notified one of the three farm laws early this month, the official said, "It was not required."

6:21 PM

Farmers' protest: SC expresses displeasure over repeated requests for allowing Harish Salve to argue

The Supreme Court Wednesday expressed displeasure over repeated requests that senior lawyer Harish Salve be unmuted and allowed to raise some legal issue during the hearing of pleas seeking removal of protesting farmers camping at borders of the national capital. A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, that Salve can join the proceedings on Thursday when the pleas would be heard again.

 

The issue came to fore when Mehta told the bench that he has received message from Salve that he be unmuted to join the proceedings

 

I have received a message from Mr Harish Salve and he is requesting to be unmuted, the law officer told the bench which also comprised Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian. The court master is telling us that no AoR (advocate-on-record) has told him that Mr Salve is appearing in these matters which are listed today, the bench observed. On being told again about the request, the bench said that it be allowed to go ahead with the matter and Salve will be heard tomorrow.

5:46 PM

Agriculture Minister says protest against farm laws an 'exception'; hopes for an early solution

The ongoing farmers' protest at Delhi borders is an "exception" and "limited to one state", Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Wednesday and hoped for an early solution as the government is in talks with farmer unions.

 

"There is an atmosphere of enthusiasm in the country because of the recent reforms in the farm sector," he said while referring to the enactment of three new legislations. "The ongoing protest is an exception and the agitation is limited to one state. We are holding discussions and talks. I believe there will be an early solution," Tomar said at a virtual conference organised by industry body Assocham.

 

The minister noted that while there is an agitation going on on one side, there are also lakhs of farmers coming in support of these laws. Tomar highlighted the measures taken by the central government in the last six years to boost farmers' income and make agriculture sector profitable. Thousands of farmers, particularly from Punjab and Haryana, are protesting for more than two weeks against the three farm laws, saying the new legislation will lead to the dismantling of the MSP (Minimum Support Price) and mandi systems and leave them at the mercy of corporates.

5:05 PM

Hardeep Singh Puri appeals to protesting farmers to resume talks with Centre

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday appealed to protesting farmers to resume talks with the central government to discuss their genuine demands, saying this is not the time to remain adamant. Addressing a virtual 'kisan sammelan', he asserted that the Narendra Modi-led government was taking several steps in the interest of the farming community.

 

We are ready to hold talks with them (farmers) to discuss their genuine demands. We are ready to find a solution of this problem, but it is necessary that the farmer brothers join the talks again and put forth their points face to face, he said.

 

Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and elsewhere have been protesting near various border points of Delhi, including Singhu and Tikri, for over a fortnight demanding that the Centre repeal three new farm laws. The Housing and Urban Affairs minister said the Centre had given assurance on the issues of minimum support price (MSP) and mandi system, as well as dispute resolution to the agitating farmers.

4:33 PM

Farmers protest LIVE: SC indicates constituting a committee to resolve deadlock

The Supreme Court Wednesday indicated that it may form a committee having representatives of the government and farmer unions across the country to resolve the deadlock over farmers protesting at several roads near Delhi borders against the three new agri laws saying "it may become a national issue".

 

Your negotiations have not worked apparently. It is bound to fail. You are saying you are willing to negotiate, a bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. Mehta, who is representing the Centre replied, Yes, we are willing to talk to farmers.

 

When the apex court asked the solicitor general to give names of the farmer organisations, which are blocking the roads on Delhi borders, he said he can give the names of those with whom Government is holding discussions.

 

"There are members of Bharatiya Kisan Union and other organizations who are talking to the government, Mehta said adding that government is talking with the protesting farmer organisations and he can give those names to the court.

 

He also said now, it appears that others have taken over the farmers protest,. The law officer said farmers and government are engaging in talks and government was and is ready for the talks.