Farmers' protest enters 50th day amid biting cold, fog at Delhi borders

Camping at protest sites near Delhi's borders for around 50 days now, braving severe cold and dense fog, farmers on Thursday asserted that their stir against the new agriculture laws will intensify in the coming days.

On the day of Makar Sankranti on Thursday, Delhi woke up to dense fog and low visibility.

Demonstrators led by the leaders of 40 farmers' organisations have been camping at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur borders, demanding the withdrawal of the new farm laws.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Pal Majra told IANS that the protesting farmers have been braving the harsh winter, day and night, for over one and a half months, unrelenting in their demand for the withdrawal of the legislations.

Another farmer leader from Ludhiana, Avtar Singh Mehlon said that the farmers have been fighting for their rights and the movement will continue until their demands are met.

The eighth round of talks between the protesting farmers and the Centre ended inconclusively yet again with Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar making it clear that the government will not repeal the Acts and the farmers reiterating that they will settle for nothing less.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court On Tuesday pressed pause on the laws enacted in September in a huge blow to the government. The top court also said a committee of agricultural experts will speak with the farmers to end the impasse, and called it a "victory of fair play".

But the farmers' organisations alleged that the members of the committee are advocates of the new laws.

The protestors will take out marches towards the Raj Bhavans (Governor's House) in different states on January 23 and also take out a parade on tractors on January 26 against the Centre's three farm laws.

--IANS

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