Farmers' protest LIVE: Farmers launch tractor march from Noida to Ghazipur

Farmers' protest LIVE updates: Farmers leaders said the 'Tractor March' would be a trailer of the 'Republic Day Parade' scheduled on January 26

1:27 AM

Farmers agitating against new agri laws at north Delhi's ground take out tractor

Farmers protesting against the Centre's new farm laws at north Delhi's Sant Nirankari ground took out a tractor march in Burari amid heavy security on Thursday.
 

The farmers at the north Delhi's DDA ground took out the march with around 20 tractors to show solidarity with thousands of farmers who took out a similar marches from various protest sites against the three agriculture laws on Thursday.
 

According to the protesting farm unions, these marches were a "rehearsal" for their proposed January 26 "Kisan parade" to the national capital from different parts of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
 

"With around 20 tractors, the protesting farmers here took out a short rally along the road adjacent to the ground. There were hardly two-three farmers on each of the tractor and the rally went smoothly. Barricades were put up as part of the security deployment in the area," a senior police officer said.
 

After facing tear gas, water cannons and clashing with security personnel at Delhi borders, hundreds of farmers had entered the national capital to hold protest at the north Delhi ground, where the Delhi Police had allowed them to hold demonstration peacefully.
 

Ahead of talks with the government, thousands of farmers took out tractor-march from protest sites of Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders and Haryana's Rewasan against the three agriculture laws amid heavy police deployment on Thursday.
 

The eighth round of talks between protesting unions and the central government is scheduled to be held on Friday.
 

The last meeting remained inconclusive on Monday as farmer groups stuck to their demand for the repeal of the three laws, while the government listed out various benefits of the new acts for the growth of the country's agriculture sector.
 

12:03 AM

Ensure farmers are not troubled at mandis during Rabi procurement: Dushyant to officers

Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Thursday asked officials to ensure that farmers do not face any problem in mandis during the procurement of Rabi crops.
 

He said the registration for the procurement of Rabi crops will begin from January 11, 2021 on the 'Meri Fasal Mera Byora' portal.
 

Chautala, who also holds the portfolio of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, said it while presiding over a meeting of relevant officials to review the arrangements of Rabi Procurement Season-2021-22, an official release said here.
 

Chautala also asked officials to conduct a survey of barley crops in the state so that the state government may consider its procurement under MSP, if necessary.

The deputy chief minister emphasised upon officials t ensure that the crop reaching the mandis should be procured and lifted as soon as possible for the convenience of the farmers.
 

He also told them to ensure the expeditious transfer of farmers' payments to their bank account after the procurement of their produce.

He also took detailed information about the preparations being made regarding every process, from crop weighing to packing and transportation, and also gave his suggestions.
 

12:02 AM

Noida: 15 UP farmers sit on hunger strike against farm laws

Intensifying their stir against the central farm laws, 15 farmers from western Uttar Pradesh districts sat on a hunger strike here, even as the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha's “tractor rally” witnessed participation of thousands of protesters in Gautam Buddh Nagar on Thursday.
 

The 15 protesters are from the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti), who are camping at the Dalit Prerna Sthal, while 11 farmers belonging to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) are already on a relay hunger strike at the Chilla border since a fortnight.
 

“Today, 15 farmers belonging to the BKU (Lok Shakti) sat on a hunger strike to demand the repeal of the new farm laws and to demand legalisation of the minimum support price (MSP) for crops,” the union's spokesperson, Shailesh Kumar Giri, said.
 

These protesters belong to Gautam Buddh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Firozabad, Aligarh, Kasganj, among other places in the state, he added.
 

The hunger strike by 11 BKU (Bhanu) protesters continued on Thursday also at the Chilla border, where the Noida-Delhi link road stayed partially closed due to the agitation.
 

Meanwhile, the tractor rally called by the farm law protesters had its impact in Gautam Buddh Nagar too with the police diverting traffic on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway in the afternoon.
 

Around 400 tractors and another 100 four-wheelers participated in the rally that started from the Ghazipur border in Ghaziabad and was scheduled to go to Palwal in Haryana, according to a senior police official.
 

9:56 PM

Govt ready to consider any proposal apart form repeal of three farm laws: Tomar

A day before the crucial talks between the Centre and the protesting farmer unions, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday said the government is ready to consider any proposal other than repeal of three farm laws, the key demand of the farmers.
 

Tomar -- who is leading the negotiations along with Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash -- said he cannot say right now what would be the outcome of the January 8 meeting with 40 protesting farmer union leaders, to be held at Vighyan Bhavan at 2PM.
 

The minister also denied giving any proposal to Punjab's Nanaksar Gurudwara head Baba Lakha, a renowned religious leader of the state, for ending the stalemate.
 

"I cannot say anything right now. In fact, it depends on what issues that will come up for discussion in the meeting," Tomar told reporters when asked about the likely outcome of the January 8 meeting.
 

Ahead of the talks with the government, thousands of farmers on Thursday took out tractor marches from protest sites of Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders and Haryana's Rewasan against the three agriculture laws amid heavy police deployment.
 

9:55 PM

Farmers' stir: Punjab BJP leaders meet Shah, say unions should not be adamant on repeal of laws

A day before the Centre's next round of talks with farmer unions protesting against new agri laws, Punjab BJP leaders Surjit Kumar Jyani and Harjit Singh Grewal met Union Home Minister Amit Shah here on Thursday.
 

After the meeting, Jyani told reporters that the farmer unions should not be adamant on their demand for repeal of the three farm laws.
 

He also alleged that Left leaders have entered into the movement and do not want the matter to be resolved.
 

Grewal asserted that the government is ready for everything that is in farmers' interest.
 

Jyani was chairing the BJP's coordination committee for interacting with farmers in Punjab last year on the three farm bills which at that time had not been passed by Parliament. Grewal was a member of the panel.
 

They had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue earlier this week.
 

Shah had earlier held informal talks with a select group of protesting farmer leaders to break the deadlock.
 

The next round of talks between the government and the protesting farmer unions is scheduled to be held at Vighyan Bhavan at 2PM on Friday.

The last seven rounds of talks between the Centre and the 40 protesting farmers' leaders have remained inconclusive.
 

Ahead of the talks with the government, thousands of farmers on Thursday took out tractor marches from protest sites of Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders and Haryana's Rewasan against the three agriculture laws amid heavy police deployment.
 

According to the protesting farmer unions, this is just a "rehearsal" for their proposed January 26 tractor parade that will move into the national capital from different parts of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
 

8:55 PM

I think farmer unions don't want a solution: BJP leader Surjit Kumar Jyani

7:42 PM

Sonia Gandhi slams govt over fuel price hike, farmer stir, says country standing at crossroads

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday attacked the Modi government over the ongoing farmer agitation and the hike in fuel prices, and said the country is today standing at the crossroads for the first time since Independence. On the hike in fuel prices, she accused the government of profiteering and said it is turning a disaster into an opportunity to fill its coffers.

 

She also alleged that the government is breaking the back of the poor, the farmers, and the middle class due to its "insensitivity".

 

"I demand from the government that the rates of excise duty on petrol and diesel be made similar to that during the UPA regime and provide immediate relief to the affected people. "I once again appeal to the government to repeal the three farm laws immediately and fulfil all the demands of farmers," she said in a statement.

6:22 PM

SC asks Centre whether farmers protesting at Delhi border are protected against Covid-19

The Supreme Court Thursday asked the Centre whether the farmers protesting against the new farm laws at Delhi borders are protected against the spread of COVID-19 and said that the guidelines to contain the virus should be followed.

 

The apex court was hearing a plea seeking various reliefs including CBI probe into the matter related to assembly of people at Anand Vihar Bus Terminal and the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizammudin Markaz in the national capital after the nationwide lockdown was announced last year to contain the pandemic.

 

You must tell us what is happening. The same problem is going to arise in farmers' agitation. I do not know if farmers are protected from COVID. So, the same problem is going to arise. It is not that everything is over, said Chief Justice S A Bobde, who was heading the bench which also comprised Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.

 

The top court asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, whether protesting farmers are protected from COVID-19. Mehta replied, Certainly not.

4:52 PM

Farmers' protest march LIVE: Tractors take over roads at Singhu border

A cacophony of rumbling engines, Punjabi tunes and rousing slogans filled the air as rows of tractors took over the roads at the Singhu border for the protest march by farmers on Monday. Thousands of farmers who have been protesting at the Delhi-Haryana borders for over 40 days took out a tractor march to strengthen their agitation against the new farm laws.

 

The tractor march started from four different points -- Singhuto Tikri Border, Tikri to Kundli, Ghazipurto Palwal and Rewasan to Palwal.

 

"The government has been hosting meeting after meeting. They know what we want. We want the laws to be repealed, but all we get are futile talks. With this rally we want to give them a glimpse of what we can do, and what we will do on January 26.

4:04 PM

Bharatiya Kisan Union begins tractor march from Maha Maya Flyover to Chilla border in Noida

3:35 PM

Farmers hold tractor march, say it's 'rehearsal' for Jan 26

A day ahead of the next round of talks with the Union government, thousands of farmers protesting on the Delhi borders organised a 'tractor march' on Thursday, describing the event as a "rehearsal" for a similar roadshow proposed on January 26 to oppose the three new central farm laws.

 

The march comprising both men and women sitting on hundreds of tractors was flagged off from the Singhu and Tikri entry points on the Delhi-Haryana borders and Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border. The sloganeering farmers drove their tractors towards Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways, where they plan to converge later in the day.

 

The tractors sported the tricolour and farmer union flags, apart from banners proclaiming their opposition to the farm laws even as policemen and bystanders looked on with curiosity. The farmers will return to the protest spots on the Delhi borders, from where they had started in the morning.

2:31 PM

Ahead of talks with govt, farmers take out tractor march against farm laws

Ahead of talks with the government, thousands of farmers on Thursday took out tractor-march from protest sites of Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders and Haryana's Rewasan against the three agriculture laws amid heavy police deployment.

 

According to the protesting farm unions, this is just a "rehearsal" for their proposed January 26 tractor parade that will be moved into the national capital from different parts of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

 

Bharati Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) chiefJoginder Singh Ugrahan said that farmers participated in the march with over 3,500 tractors and trolleys. Ugrahan, whose union is one of the largest farmer organisations in Punjab, said that they will not accept anything less than the repeal of the three farm laws. The eighth round of talks between protesting unions and the central government is scheduled to be held on Friday.

11:21 AM

Congress backs farmers' tractor rally

11:08 AM

Farmers protesting against Centre's three farm laws hold tractor rally at Ghazipur border near Delhi

10:33 AM

Young NRIs join farmers' stir at Singhu border

Several young non-resident Indians (NRI) have joined farmers at the Singhu border to extend support to the ongoing demonstration against agricultural laws by offering their services.

 

Manpreet Singh, an Austria-based automobile businessman, came directly from Delhi airport to the protest site at Singhu border with his luggage to participate in the farmers' agitation.

 

"I came directly from Austria to India, when I was in Europe then I used to watch the news about the farmers' protest and then I decided to reach Delhi and head towards Dharna site," Singh said.