Farmer Protest LIVE: PM should quit if he can't repeal farm laws, says Cong

In a move to put pressure on the government over the three farm laws, the Congress on Saturday said that it has decided to organise 'Kisan Adhikar Divas' in the country

4:59 PM

Counselling sessions for farmers at Singhu Border to prevent burnout, suicide bids

Despite their rock-hard determination to sustain the over 40-day-old agitation against the new farm laws, many protesting farmers at Delhi borders are falling prey to anxiety and depression, with a few having allegedly claimed their lives fighting this prolonged battle in biting cold. Braving the elements and the odds stacked up against them, an overwhelming number of farmers have been protesting at Singhu Border and two other sites since November 26, but their "sedentary lifestyle" at present and "psychological sedimentation" is taking a toll on their physical and mental well-being.

According to NGOs running medical camps at the Singhu Border, the nerve centre of the massive agitation, these farmers are brave in their spirit, but some have become vulnerable, facing extreme weather and may be a "sense of waning hope" that have translated into suicides at times. However, to ease their psychological burden, US-based NGO, United Sikhs, has started carrying out counselling sessions for farmers at their camp set up on the Haryana side of the protest site at Singhu Border.

"So many farmers have died during this agitation, some of them claimed their own lives. While they may have a strong determination, but the extreme cold and pent-up emotions, coupled with sedentary lifestyle at present as they are not going to fields, is making them psychologically vulnerable," said Sanya Kataria, a clinical psychologist and a volunteer at the camp.

4:38 PM

BJP's concern for Bengal farmers a sham: TMC

The Trinamool Congress on Saturday said that BJP's concern for farmers of the state is a sham as its leaders do not bother about those protesting within the striking distance of Delhi.

Speaking to reporters, senior TMC leader and state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said BJP leaders have time to travel across the country and "shed crocodile tears" for farmers but not pay any heed to those protesting against the farm laws. "BJP leaders are coming to Bengal and going to other places. But they don't listen to the farmers who are protesting outside Delhi. The BJP's concern for the farmers is a pure sham," she added.

4:24 PM

Farmers protest at Delhi borders against Shaheen Bagh verdict, petitioner to SC

Petitioner Rishabh Sharma, who filed the plea to remove farmers from Delhi borders, has filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court on Saturday urging immediate removal of protesting farmers from the borders claiming the agitation is in violation of its verdict on the Shaheen Bagh protest. Sharma said the top court allowed protests subject to public order but was silent on inconvenience to commuters and such permission is against its Shaheen Bagh judgment.

Sharma, in his affidavit, stated, "If the farmers are allowed to continue protest by blocking the public road, it will not only contradict the court's own judgment in Shaheen Bagh matter but also cause hardship and inconvenience to the common citizen as the increase in the raw material cost will automatically increase the cost of finished goods." He further mentioned the newspaper reports citing farmers agitation shot up the raw material price by 30 per cent and incurred a daily loss of Rs 3,500 crore

3:35 PM

Congress to stage protests outside all Governor houses across country on Jan 15: Report

Congress to stage protest outside all Governor Houses across the country on January 15, in support of farmers' agitation against farm laws, according to ANI sources.

2:07 PM

Mayawati demands repeal of farm laws

After several rounds of talks between the Centre and farmers remained inconclusive, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday demanded that the government should revoke the new farm laws. "Discussions between the central government and farmers who have been protesting on the borders of Delhi for a long time once again failed. It is a matter of extreme concern. The Centre is again requested to accept the demand of farmers to withdraw the new agricultural laws and solve this problem soon," Mayawati tweeted.
 

After talks between the Central Government and farmers' union leaders held at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi on Friday remained inconclusive, as the farmers remained adamant on their demand for the repeal the three farm laws, it was decided that the next round of talks will be held on January 15. The meeting was attended by Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal.

 

11:53 AM

Govt's strategy to let talks with farmers linger on: Congress

As the latest talks between the government and farmers on Friday failed to break the deadlock, the Congress stepped up its attack on the Modi government, with party leader Rahul Gandhi questioning its intentions.

 

The government strategy is to keep giving dates, he alleged, as the government announced that the next round would be held on January 15.

 

Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram suggested that government should keep the laws in abeyance.

 

"Saddened that the government remains as adamant as ever and refuses to relent. The wise course is to keep the unpopular Farm Laws in abeyance and start talking to all stakeholders on a clean slate," he said.

11:42 AM

Over 100 Britain MPs, Lords write to Boris Johnson on farmers' protest

British Labour Party MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi has sent a letter, signed by over 100 MPs and Lords, to Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the ongoing farmers' protests in India, asking him to raise this matter with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi when they next liaise.

 

The letter seeks to ensure that the UK Prime Minister reaffirms the importance of the right to peaceful protest internationally, has a full understanding of this important issue and asks him to raise this matter with the Indian Prime Minister, following the cancellation of their meeting in India, planned later this month. Read on...

9:01 AM

Sonia Gandhi to hold meeting with party general secretaries, in-charges on farmers' issue

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi will hold a meeting on Saturday with party general secretaries and in-charges in connection with the ongoing farmers' agitation at the gates of Delhi.

 

According to sources, a virtual meeting has been called to discuss the situation and to chalk out a strategy to support farmer's protests. Congress has been in support of the farmers in their movement against the new farm laws enacted by the Centre in September.

 

Gandhi had earlier issued a statement that since Independence the current government has been the "most egoistic" government and had advised the Centre to repeal these laws and do "Raj Dharma".

2:50 AM

Agri laws will benefit farmers: Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore

BJP national spokesperson and Jaipur MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Friday said the farm laws introduced by the Centre will benefit farmers and hoped that they will understand it.
 

Talks are being held with farmers and it has already been cleared that the minimum support price (MSP) system will not be discontinued, he said, adding that farmer organisations will understand that the laws are in their favour.
 

The BJP leader also attacked the Congress, saying the party which had imposed the Emergency in the country is staging dharnas against the three farm laws.
 

He also took at dig at "internal fighting" in the Congress and said, "They are in power but they are not happy. The Congress is battling internal fighting. But, people want that the government should be concerned about them," Rathore told reporters here.

11:21 PM

Singhu Border: Sewadars come from Panchkula, do fogging to keep dengue at bay

Armed with shiny spraying machines, a group of volunteers from a famous Sikh shrine in Panchkula have come to the main farmers' protest site, straddling a Delhi-Haryana border where they did extensive anti-dengue fogging on Friday to disinfect the area.
 

For over 40 days, a massive number of farmers have camped at the Singhu Border, the nerve-centre of the agitation that is seeking repealing of the new farm laws.

As a stretch of the GT Karnal highway has turned into a temporary site of shelters for peasants, drawn mainly from Punjab and several 'langars' being run on the streets, sanitation has emerged as a challenge for them.
 

But volunteerism and a good samaritan spirit, the two defining ideals sustaining this massive campaign, is endeavouring to provide a safer and sanitable environment for the protestors.
 

On Friday, a contingent of four men, two of them carrying anti-dengue fogging machines, carried disinfection in various stretches of the protest site.
 

Many were taken by surprise as these men, briskly walked around the area, while a white cloud of disinfecting smoke filled the air.
 

"We have come to offer 'sewa' (services) from Gurudwara Nada Sahib in Panchkula. We want our farmers to be safe in this environment, so we have brought this fogging machines with us. Due to slush on the streets after rains and organic waste discarded from the 'langars', there are chances of breeding of mosquitoes, so we are here to prevent that," said a volunteer.
 

11:21 PM

Wise course is to keep unpopular farm laws in abeyance: Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday said he was saddened that the government "refuses to relent" on the farmers' demands and asked whether its meetings with the protesters are aimed at tiring them out.
 

He also stressed that the farm laws be kept in abeyance and a fresh start be made by talking to all stakeholders.
 

"Saddened that the government remains as adamant as ever and refuses to relent. The wise course is to keep the unpopular farm laws in abeyance and start talking to all stakeholders on a clean slate," he said on Twitter.
 

The former finance minister said any legal reform of agricultural produce marketing must be based on the widespread consultation and not through "midnight ordinances".
 

"If the government has nothing to offer, why has it asked for another meeting with the farmers' organisations? Is it a tactic to tire the protesters by asking them to remain in the bitter cold for another week," he asked.
 

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the farmers protesting at Singhur on the border of Delhi," he also said.
 

11:20 PM

Week's gap before next meeting with farmers shows Centre's insensitivity: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday slammed the Centre for scheduling the next meeting with agitation farmer leaders after a gap of a week and said it shows the height of its insensitivity.
 

Gehlot's comments came after Friday's meeting between the Centre and the farmers leaders failed to yield any result.
 

The next meeting has been fixed for January 15, amid indications that any headway will now depend on a Supreme Court hearing scheduled for January 11 on a batch of petitions related to the protest.
 

Gehlot expressed hope that the Supreme Court will hear the matter soon and decide on it.
 

“Farmers have been sitting on the road in the cold for 45 days. Despite this, the Union government has taken seven days for the next meeting. This shows the height of the Modi government's insensitivity," Gehlot said.
 

I hope that the Supreme Court will hear the matter soon and decide so that justice can be done to farmers, he added. 
 

10:21 PM

After Singhu, AAP starts installing Wi-Fi hotspots at Tikri border for protesting farmers

After Singhu border, the AAP has now started installing Wi-Fi hotspots at Tikri border for protesting farmers, party leader Raghav Chadha said on Friday.

The AAP said Wi-Fi connections would help the protesting farmers to keep in touch with their families.
 

The AAP has strongly come out in favour of the farmers protesting against the new agri laws and its national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has visited the Singhu border twice and expressed his support to the farmers.
 

"After Singhu Border, Sewadaar @ArvindKejriwal's WiFi sewa reaches Tikri Border. Free WiFi Hotspot installation in full swing at Tikri," Chadha tweeted.
 

The installation of Wi-Fi hotspots started at Singhu border where Chadha himself went to oversee the process.
 

Chadha had said as and when demands come, they would install more such hotspots at other border points too where the farmers are protesting against the Centre's three farm laws.
 

10:19 PM

Had asked police to give me intelligence updates on farmers protest: Amarinder

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday said he had “naturally asked” police to give him regular intelligence updates related to the farmers' protest in the national capital.
 

He said this while rejecting the Opposition claim that he deputed police officers to “negotiate” with farmers protesting against the Centre's farm laws at Delhi's borders.
 

Dubbing the accusations as “completely baseless and malicious”, the CM in a statement said there was no question of deputing police officers to negotiate with farmers.
 

The CM said he had made it categorically clear that the ball was in the Centre's court, with the Punjab government having no role to play in the negotiations.
 

With farmer protests going on in his state since long before the agitation started at the Delhi border, he had “naturally asked” police officers to give him regular intelligence reports and updates on the situation not just from the national capital but also across Punjab, said Amarinder Singh.
 

He trashed the “twisted and senseless” interpretation being given to the presence of a few Punjab Police personnel at the farmers' protest site.
 

It is the job of the state police to keep tabs on the evolving situation and it is his job as both chief minister and home minister to remain updated about all developments, he added.
 

“Anyone who believes that a couple of police officers can negotiate with farmers or persuade the kisan leaders to accept the Centre's suggestions on amendments to the farm laws is really naive,” the CM said.
 

10:18 PM

UP: SDM 'caught' on tape misbehaving with woman during public meet

In a video that surfaced on social media, an SDM was allegedly seen misbehaving with a woman during a public meet in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district.

Nichloul SDM Ram Sajeevan Maurya allegedly misbehaved with the woman of Lahrouli village on Thursday, pushing her away in the presence of a crowd of villagers.
 

The woman alleged that the SDM was trying to give possession of a piece of common land to some farmers and when she objected to it, he started misbehaving.

The villagers, along with the woman, submitted a memorandum to the DM in this regard.
 

Maurya was in Lahrouli village during a "chaupal" when a dispute over a piece of land came up.
 

When Ria Patel tried to show him some documents related to the land, he misbehaved.
 

She claimed, “When I tried to show the SDM a document related to the land and said it belongs to everyone, he didn't look at the paper and started shouting and slapped me. He also tried to slap my mother.” “I asked my younger brother to make a video clip with my mobile phone and when he saw my brother doing so, police started chasing him. They also took away my father, though they set him free after some time,” she claimed.