Farmers protest LIVE: Have invited farmers for talks on Dec 1, says Tomar

Farmers protest LIVE updates: Supply of vegetables and fruits to the city from other states has been impacted

9:43 AM

Govt urges farmers to call off agitation, says ready to hold talks anytime

Amid massive protests by farmers for the third consecutive day, the government on Saturday said it is ready for talks with them anytime and urged them to call off their agitation. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that while a meeting with 32 protesting farmer unions has already been scheduled on December 3 to address their concerns, the government is ready to engage the unions' leaders before that if they wish to.

 

Appealing to farmers to end their protest, the minister said farmer unions' leaders should come for talks because solutions can be found only after the discussion.

 

"Farmers should end the protest and come for discussion.The Government of India is fully ready for the discussion. If farmer unions' send their proposal, we are ready to consider that," Tomar told PTI. READ ON...

8:51 AM

Amit Shah appeals farmers to go to Burari ground; says ready to hold talks

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday appealed to the farmers to shift to the Burari ground in the national capital to stage their protests and said the Centre is ready to hold discussions with them as soon as they move to the designated place. He also said the government has made arrangements for water, toilets and medical care at the ground in north Delhi so that the farmers are not inconvenienced and they can stage their demonstrations in a democratic and peaceful manner there.

 

"For the last few days, farmers from Punjab and Haryana and some other parts of the country have come to the border of Delhi. Farmers have gathered on the two major highways coming from Punjab near the border of Delhi since yesterday. Farmers are facing many problems due to heavy cold. Other people are also facing problems.

 

"Therefore, I have a humble appeal to our farmer brothers that the government has made proper arrangement for you in Burari in Delhi, where you can stage your demonstrations," he said in an appeal in Hindi which was posted in the official WhatsApp group of the home ministry.

8:32 AM

Help farmers double their income by 2022 via crop innovation: Rajasthan Governor to agri varsities

Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Saturday urged agricultural universities to play a role of farmers' benefactor by apprising them of the latest crop innovation techniques and help them double their income by marketing their products at the global level. He said everyone should work together for the benefit of farmers.

 

Addressing a virtual convocation ceremony of Kota Agriculture University, the Governor said the universities should implement job-oriented, vocational courses for strengthening the agriculture education.

 

He also called upon the agriculture scientists, teachers and students to come forward to fulfil the central government's resolve to double the farmers' income by 2022. He said the universities should adopt innovation and work to increase the cultivation of the crops whose cultivation is low. During the function, he also laid the foundation stone of a Constitution Park in the university.

8:06 AM

Govt ready for talks with protesting farmers anytime: Agriculture Minister

Amid massive protests for the third consecutive day by farmers heading to the national capital, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday said the Centre is ready for talks with them anytime as he appealed to farmers to call off their agitation and come for discussion. While a meeting with 32 protesting farmer unions has already been scheduled on December 3 to resolve their concerns, the government is ready to engage the farmer unions' leaders before that if they wish, he said.

 

While the government has maintained that the three new farm laws have been enacted for the benefit of farmers, protesting farmers fear that it might dismantle procurement at minimum support price (MSP) and corporatise farming.

 

Speaking to PTI, Tomar said, "The Government of India is in continuous discussion with farmers. Therefore, we invited the farmer union leaders for the second round of talks on December 3. If farmers wish, we are ready for discussion before that (December 3)."

 

Appealing to farmers to end the protest, the minister said farmer unions' leaders should come for talks because solutions can be found only after the discussion.

7:47 AM

Farmers continue protest at Delhi border points for third day, refuse to move to Burari ground

Thousands of farmers continued to protest the Centre's new farm laws at the Singhu and Tikri borders on Saturday blocking national highways for the third day as they refused to move to the designated protest site in north Delhi, a day after they clashed with security personnel who stopped them from entering the city.

 

The protesting farmers from Punjab also got support from their Uttar Pradesh counterparts when some groups from Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and Ghaziabad gathered at the Ghazipur border and breached the first layer of barricades put up by the Delhi Police. They, however, later decided to move back a few metres and stay put there.

 

The police were using drones to keep a tight vigil on the protest site where 600 farmers had gathered after entering Delhi. At the Singhu border, protestors held a meeting and decided to stay put on Saturday night. They said a crucial meeting will be held on Sunday to decide their next course of action.

 

"We held a meeting today and it was decided to stay put here. Tomorrow, there will be another meeting at 11 am and till then, we are at the Singhu border," Baljeet Singh Mahal, Jalandhar's unit president of Bhartiya Kisan Union Kadia, said.

7:25 AM

Farmers' protest is a conspiracy hatched by Congress: Keshav Prasad Maurya

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday appealed to farmers to withdraw their protest and alleged that the agitation was "nothing but a conspiracy hatched by the Congress".

 

"Being the son of a farmer, I want to say to the farmers of the country and Uttar Pradesh that this type of protest is nothing but a conspiracy hatched by the Congress. It is an anti-farmer, anti-poor party by birth. Congress is playing with the emotions of farmers. I appeal to the farmers to take back this protest," Maurya told ANI.

 

Maurya said efforts were being made to increase income of farmers and improve their living standards.

 

"Prime Minister Modi is sincerely working to uplift the downtrodden and the backward. The farm laws brought by the central government will help the farmers," he said.

 

On Saturday, farmers reached at Ghaziabad-Delhi border in support of 'Delhi Chalo' protest march. The farmers have embarked on 'Dilli Chalo' march to protest against the three farm laws. The Tikri border has been opened to enable farmers to proceed to the ground marked for their protest.

7:03 AM

Farmers to decide next course of action on Sunday

Farmers will stay wherever they are for now and the next course of action will be decided on Sunday, a union leader said. Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakaunda) president Buta Singh Burjgill over the phone said no decision has yet been taken on shifting to the Burari ground in Delhi, a place earmarked for their agitation by police.

 

It has been decided that on Saturday night, protesting farmers will stay wherever they are, he said, adding that a large number of them have assembled at the Singhu and Tikri borders with the national capital. He said representatives of several farmers' organisations will hold another round of meeting on Sunday to decide the next course of action.

 

However, the BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan), one of the largest farmer organisations in Punjab, said they will not go to the Burari ground in Delhi.

 

We urge the Union government to give us a place at the Jantar Mantar for the agitation. We will not go to the Burari ground at any cost, said BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) senior vice-president Jhanda Singh Jethuke. Meanwhile, Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma urged farmers take to discussions to resolve their issues. Sharma urged them to avoid holding demonstrations.

6:50 AM

Agri laws: Farmers protest at Ghaziabad's UP Gate

A large number of farmers staged a protest against the Centre's farm laws at the Ghaziabad's UP Gate on Saturday. Led by Bharatiya Kisan Union's national president Rakesh Tikait, farmers said they will continue their stir till the Centre does not give a written assurance about the continuation of the minimum support price (MSP) system.

 

Tikait said farmers associated with the body will not go the Delhi's Burari ground, a place earmarked for protests by police. The protesting farmers will decide the future course of action on Sunday. Till the Union government does not give us as a written assurance about the MSP for crops, we will continue our stir, Tikait said.

 

In case any buyer procures the agricultural produce below the MSP, he should be jailed and for this, the government must pass a law, he said, stressing that the agitating farmers will proceed to the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to stage a sit-in.

6:31 AM

AAP MLA mets farmers at Burari's Nirankari Samagam Ground in Delhi

6:19 AM

Accept Amit Shah's appeal, Punjab CM urges protesting farmers

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh on Saturday urged the protesting farmers to reciprocate to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's gesture by accepting his appeal to shift to a designated place, thus paving the way for early talks to resolve their issues. Reacting to Shah's offer to hold discussions with the farmers at the earliest, Amarinder Singh said it is in the best interest of the farming community and the nation at large.

 

Shah's statement reflecting the Centre's willingness to listen to the farmers is a welcome step, said the Chief Minister, stressing that the only solution to the current stalemate on the farm laws issue is discussion. Since the Home Minister has made it clear that the government of India is "ready to deliberate on every problem and demand" of the farmers, and would hold talks the day after the farmers shift to the designated site in Delhi for their protest, the leaders should also move forward, said the Chief Minister.

 

Only by sitting across the table can both sides come to a solution to the problem, he added.

 

Pointing out that the purpose of their protest is not to block highways and inconvenience people but to pressurise the Central government to listen to their voice, the Chief Minister said the farmers have already won half the battle by bringing the Union government to the negotiating table without further delay.

9:02 PM

Punjab CM urges farmers to recipocrate to Amit Shah's appeal, shift protest site

Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh has urged farmers to reciprocate the Union Home Minister’s gesture by accepting his appeal to shift to a designated place, thus paving the way for early talks to resolve their issues: Punjab Chief Minister's Office

8:50 PM

400 farmers protesting farm laws gather in Delhi's Burari; say they're prepared for a long haul

Raising slogans, singing songs and carrying flags in reds, greens and blues, around 400 farmers with affiliation to different outfits from a number of states on Saturday gathered at north Delhi's Burari ground where they have been permitted to hold a peaceful protest against the new farm reform laws. While thousands of farmers stayed put at the Singhu and Tikri borders of Delhi for the third consecutive day amid heavy police presence, many made their way into the national capital and gathered at the Nirankari ground, one of the largest in the city.

The farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana and also from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, arrived in trucks and tractors. Bhuvan Singh Yadav had started his journey from Gwalior on November 24 and reached Delhi via Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh along with several other members of the All India Krishak Khet Majdoor Sangathan (AIKKMS). "We were stopped by the Uttar Pradesh police at the Rajasthan-UP border on a bridge, but we did not go back. We continued to protest on the bridge even when it rained. Eventually police had to give in," he said. "We came here with our questions and will return with the answers," Yadav said.

8:03 PM

Govt is ready to deliberate on every problem and demand of the farmers: Shah

6:22 PM

Khattar is lying that he tried calling me earlier & I did not respond: Punjab CM

Khattar is lying that he tried calling me earlier & I did not respond. But now, after what he has done to my farmers, I'll not speak to him even if he calls me 10 times: Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh

6:15 PM

Haryana CM alleges Capt Amarinder denied to discuss farmers' protest

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday thanked the farmers of the state for not participating in the demonstration against the three contentious agricultural laws passed by the Centre in September. Khattar was in the city to head a meeting of the District Public Relations and Public Prevention Committee. The CM alleged that the farmers' protest is mainly sponsored by the political parties of Punjab and some other organizations there.

Khattar added that during the past three days he wanted to discuss with his Punjab counterpart Captain Amarinder Singh about the farmers' movement but the latter did not respond to his phone calls. He said that he himself could not understand the exact reason behind this ignorance on the part of the Punjab Chief Minister. "Some political parties are misleading the farmers which is unfortunate and condemnable," the Haryana CM said, adding that "the farmers demonstration is motivated by the Punjab government because his cardholders were leading the entire farmer's movement".