LIVE: Manmohan, Pawar wanted farm reforms during UPA regime, says Tomar

Farmers' protest LIVE updates: Security remains tight at the Delhi borders with hundreds of personnel deployed at Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri. Stay tuned for latest updates

4:43 PM

Centre calls farmers for meeting on 30th Dec at 2 pm at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi

Central Government calls farmers for meeting on 30th December at 2 pm at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi.

4:43 PM

False narratives about new farm laws hurting farmers' interests: Niti Aayog Vice Chairman

False narratives about the new farm laws are doing significant harm to the interest of farmers as well as the economy in general, Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar said on Monday and expressed his disappointment at some economists changing their stance on the new legislations. As farmers continue their protests demanding repealing of the three new laws, Kumar also emphasised that continued negotiations with protesting farmers is of course the way forward.

 

"Any argument that these measures (the Centre's new farm laws) will open the farmers for exploitation by large corporates is completely false because the government has assured Minimum Support Price (MSP) to all the farmers on a range of crops," he told PTI in an interview.

 

The Vice Chairman of Niti Aayog, the government think tank which also plays a key role in formulating economic policies, said that he was dismayed by the dishonesty of some Indian economists, including former chief economic adviser Kaushik Basu who used to support farm reforms, for switching sides and talking in different languages now.

4:16 PM

We demand three draconian agriculture laws be withdrawn: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

4:05 PM

Kerala Governor gives assent for one-day assembly session on Dec 31 on farm laws

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday gave his assent for convening the state assembly for a one-day special session on December 31 to discuss and pass a resolution against the three contentious central farm laws against which farmers are agitating in Delhi. The Governor has given the nod for the session, days after the CPI-M led LDF government sent a fresh proposal to convene the assembly after he had turned down an earlier recommendation.

 

Even for the December 31 session, Khan sought some clarifications and the government had provided them.

 

The session would be for a duration of one hour and commence at 9 am In an unprecedentedmove, the Governor had earlier declined nod for the special session on December 23 to discuss the contentious laws, saying Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had not addressed the question raised by him on the nature of emergency warranating the very brief session.

3:25 PM

25 farmer unions handed over a letter to Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in support of agri laws

3:00 PM

Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs stage silent protest against Centre's farm laws

Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs led by state unit chief Kamal Nath on Monday staged a silent protest against the Centre's new farm laws in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue in the Assembly premises. The protest began with Nath garlanding the statue of Gandhiji amid MLAs holding placards and toy tractors and shouting slogans denouncing the Centre.

 

The decision to stage a silent protest was taken since the three-day winter session of the Assembly, set to begin on Monday, was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, said state Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja. "We will continue to extend support to the ongoing farm agitation against the Centre's new laws," he added.

 

The winter session got postponed after 61 Assembly staffers and seven MLAs tested positive for the virus. An earlier plan by the party to arrive at the Assembly complex in tractors was set to face hurdles from an order issued by the district collector banning the movement of several types of vehicles within a 5-kilometre radius.

2:38 PM

Visuals of protesting farmers in Delhi's Burari

2:31 PM

Punjab Pradesh Congress held a demonstration near Haryana CM's residence

2:07 PM

Congress observes 136th Foundation Day, slams Centre over farmers' protest

Indian National Congress (INC), the oldest political party of the country observed its 136th Foundation Day on Monday. Senior Congress leader AK Antony hoisted Congress flag at the party headquarters to mark its 136th Foundation Day. All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi was also present.

 

Meanwhile, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has organised celebrations at Indira Bhavan at KPCC headquarters Thiruvananthapuram to mark the day. KPCC President Mullapally Ramachandran hoisted the tricolour.

 

All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Tariq Anwar attended the celebrations. While addressing party workers KPCC president Mullapally Ramachandran said this moment will help the party workers to understand the greatness of Congress. READ MORE...

12:47 PM

Doubling of farm income unrealistic: How agriculture fared in Covid-19 era

Even as the pandemic-led crisis shrank India's overall economy, its agriculture sector, supported by a normal monsoon, robust kharif sowing and adequate water storage in reservoirs, remained a "bright spot", as per the Reserve Bank of India.

 

India's gross domestic product that had grown by 5.2% and 4.4% in the first two quarters of 2019-20, contracted by 23.9% and 7.5% in the first and second quarters, respectively, of 2020-21, per government data. However, agriculture appeared to have escaped the impact of the slump caused by the pandemic--it grew at 3.4% in both quarters, close to the 2019-20 rates. Read on...

12:44 PM

Anna Hazare threatens to launch his "last protest" for farmers

Social activist Anna Hazare has threatened to go on a hunger strike if his demands on issues concerning farmers are not met by the Union government by the end of January next year, and said it would be his "last protest".

 

Speaking to reporters in his Ralegaon Siddhi village in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra on Sunday, Hazare said had had been holding protests for cultivators since the last three years, but the government has done nothing to resolve the issues.

 

"The government is just giving empty promises due to which I do not have any trust left (in the government)...Let's see, what action the Centre takes on my demands. They have sought time for a month, so I have given them time till January-end. If my demands are not met, I will resume my huger strike protest. This would be my last protest," the 83-year-old said.

 

On December 14, Hazare wrote a letter to Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar warning of a hunger strike if his demands like the implementation of the MS Swaminathan Committee's recommendations and granting autonomy to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), were not accepted.

12:42 PM

Priyanka Gandhi slams Centre, demands repeal of new farm laws

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday hit out at the Centre and demanded that the Union government should listen to protesting farmers and take back the new farm laws.

 

"Saying that farmers' protest is a political conspiracy, it is totally wrong, It is a sin to use the kind of words they are using for farmers. Government is answerable to farmers. The government should listen to them and take back the laws," said the Congress leader.

 

Amid the prevailing deadlock between farmers and the Central government over the new farm laws, the agitation of farmers entered the 32nd day on Monday. While the protests at the Ghazipur border that started on November 28 entered the 30th day today.

10:05 AM

Farmers' protest over Centre's new agri laws enters 32nd day amid cold wave

Amid the prevailing deadlock between farmers and the Central government over the new farm laws, the agitation of farmers entered the 32nd day today