Farmers' protests LIVE: Unions reject Centre's proposal to set up panel

Farmers protest LIVE updates Day 6: Chilla border that links Delhi to UP through Noida has been closed. Stay tuned for latest updates on farmers' protest

2:05 AM

Amidst farmers' agitation, govt procures more paddy on MSP

Amidst the farmers' agitation, the Central government has procured more paddy on MSP than the last years, with purchase of over 318.00 LMTs of paddy up to November 30, an official statement said on Tuesday. The purchase during the same period last year was of 268.15 LMT which shows an increase of 18.58 per cent over last year.

Out of the total, Punjab alone has contributed 202.77 LMT which is 63.76 per cent of total procurement. The government has continued to procure Kharif 2020-21 crops at its MSP from farmers as per the existing schemes. Paddy procurement for Kharif 2020-21 is continuing smoothly in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra, the statement said,

12:12 AM

Farmers' stir: Heavy police force deployed, 3 more Delhi border points closed

The national capital's border points were under heavy police deployment on Tuesday with concrete barriers and multilayered barricades put in place as farmers agitating against the Centre's new agri laws blocked the Delhi-Noida border. Two more border points connecting the national capital with Gurgaon and Jhajjar-Bahadurgarh were closed as precautionary measures, leading to heavy traffic jams in several parts of the city. With this, in total five border points, including Singhu and Tikri, have been closed due to the protest.

The protest by farmers at the Delhi border points entered the sixth day and is set to continue as the critical talks between three Union ministers and farmer groups ended in a stalemate on Tuesday after they rejected the government's suggestion of a new committee to look into issues raised by agitating farmers. The two sides, however, decided to meet again on Thursday. Earlier in the day, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekar Azad joined the protesting farmers at the Delhi-Ghazipur border along with hundreds of his supporters and demanded that the new farms laws be withdrawn immediately.

Also, Bilkis Dadi, the octogenarian who was the face of the months-long anti-citizenship law protest in the national capital and featured in the Time magazine, was stopped by the Delhi Police personnel at the Singhu Border where thousands of farmers have been demonstrating, officials said.

11:56 PM

Centre deliberately prolonging farmers' problems: SAD

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday blamed the Centre for failure of talks with the farmer leaders, saying it was deliberately prolonging and deepening the farmers' problems with an aim of tiring them out. The government on Tuesday suggested setting up a committee to look into issues raised by farmers protesting against new farm laws, but it was rejected by representatives of 35 agitating organisations during their marathon meeting with three union ministers that ended without any resolution.

The meeting at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital remained inconclusive and the government has called for another round of discussions on Thursday, December 3, farmer union leaders said. The SAD, which had quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the new farm legislation in September, cautioned the farmers' organisations against alleged conspiracies to trap them with misleading and vague commitments through tricks like setting up a committee.

Setting up a committee is merely a part of the delaying tactics to tire the farmers out, the party alleged in a release here. But this shows how little does the BJP know about the strength, stamina and staying power of our brave farmers, senior Akali leaders Balwinder Singh Bhunder and Sikandar Singh said in a joint statement issued here. The SAD praised farmer leaders for not biting the government's committee bait and for not blinking at the critical hour. It said the failure of Tuesday's talks is the result of the government's refusal to focus on the specific demands of the poor and beleaguered farmers.

10:15 PM

23 tea industry unions in Bengal protested against farm laws

10:05 PM

Madhya Pradesh farmers to march to Delhi tomorrow to join protest

10:04 PM

Indian Overseas Congress donate rs 1 cr for famers' protest

Indian Overseas Congress Germany has decided to donate Rs 1 crore for the farmers; says "we decided to reach out our hands to different areas such as medical care, education of their children, financial support for the family of deceased farmers."

9:21 PM

LIVE: Will submit draft issues related to farm laws by Dec 2, says BKU chief

We'll submit a draft of our issues related to Farm laws tomorrow. Govt has started a conversation with Punjab, UP, Uttarakhand, Haryana & Delhi farmers. So, till the next meeting on Dec 3rd, govt has time to brainstorm over the issues raised by all: Naresh Tikait, BKU President

8:58 PM

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot says PM Modi must take the lead in resolving impasse with farmers

8:42 PM

LIVE: Govt asks farmer unions to submit specific issues in farm laws by Wednesday

The government has asked farmers' bodies to identify specific issues related to the three new farm laws and submit those by Wednesday for consideration and discussion in the next round of talks on Thursday, an official statement said after a nearly three-hour-long meeting remained inconclusive. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Railways and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, and Minister of State for Commerce and Industries Som Prakash on Tuesday interacted with the representatives of 35 farmers organisations, mainly from Punjab.

 

During the meeting at Vigyan Bhawan here, the ministers explained the benefits of farm reform acts to the representatives of the farmers' Unions. Various issues related to these laws were discussed at length and talks were held in a cordial atmosphere, the agriculture ministry said in its statement.

 

Tomar emphasised that the government is fully committed towards the welfare of farmers and agriculture development is always on the top priority.

 

"During the deliberations, the Union Agriculture Minister proposed to constitute an expert committee to put forth the issues of farmers so as to resolve them with mutual consent but the representative of the farmers unions suggested that all the representatives will attend a further round of discussions with the Government to resolve the matter amicably," the statement said.

8:33 PM

Farmers should flag specific issues in laws, Govt ready to look into them: Narendra Singh Tomar

As a meeting with representatives of protesting farmers remained inconclusive, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Tuesday they have been asked to come with specific issues in the new farm laws and the government is ready to discuss and address their concerns. The government had called a meeting with 35 representatives of agitating farmers at Vigyan Bhawan hereafter large-scale protests by various farmer groups, including from Punjab and Haryana, entered its sixth day on various borders of the national capital.

 

"We had a detailed discussion. We will again meet on December 3. We suggested to them to form a small committee, but they said they all will be present in the meeting. So, we agreed to that," Tomar told PTI after the meeting.

 

Asked why the government was holding a separate discussion with Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Rakesh Tikait, the minister said, "They have come to us, so we are discussing with them also. We are ready to discuss with all farmers." Asked when the deadlock will end, he said, "The time will decide."

8:23 PM

Talks with farmers good, fourth round of talks on Dec 3: Agriculture Minister

8:12 PM

LIVE: Farmers-govt dialogue inconclusive, next round of talks on Thursday

The more than three-hour-long dialogue between a group of more than 32 farmer union leaders and the government remained inconclusive on Tuesday. The fourth round of talks will be held on Thursday. The farmers declared that they will continue their protest and the agitation will be strengthened day by day until they do not get a solution to their demands from the government.

 

Farmer leaders, however, said the meeting was peaceful but the government was not ready to repeal its three farm laws, and proposed to form a committee to study and clarify law-related misconceptions to resolve the ongoing deadlock. Some of the farmers raised the issue that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were not present in the meeting despite the government's promise that they will be part of the discussions.

 

At the end of meeting, which began at Vigyan Bhawan in Central Delhi, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said "The third round of meeting has ended and the fourth round of meeting will be held on Thursday (December 3)." December 3 is also the date that was earlier decided by the government to hold talks with farmers.

 

Bharatiya Kisan Union General Secretary (Punjab), Balwant Singh told IANS: "The meeting was inconclusive".

8:02 PM

Protesting farmers show black flags to Union minister Rattan Lal Kataria

A group of over one hundred farmers protesting against the Centre's farm laws on Tuesday showed black flags to Union minister Rattan Lal Kataria in Jandli village adjoining Ambala city. The Union minister of state for Jal Shakti was accompanied by the BJP MLA from Ambala city, Aseem Goel, and some local party leaders.

 

Kataria, who is an MP from Ambala, had come to Jandli village to lay the foundation stone of an underbridge on the Ambala-Rajpura rail section.

 

The farmers, most of them youths, waved black flags outside the venue while Kataria was speaking. They also raised anti-government slogans and asked the minister and other BJP leaders to go back. A farmer leader, Charanjit Singh, said that the state government was falsely claiming that none of the farmers from Haryana were participating in the ongoing protest against farm laws near Delhi's borders.

7:44 PM

Talks with farmers good, fourth round of talks on Dec 3: Agriculture Minister

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Tuesday that meeting with representatives of protesting farmers was "good" and the fourth round of talks will be held on December 3. The minister told the media after Tuesday's talks that the government was keen on a group being formed but farmers' leaders wanted that the talks should be held with everyone.

 

"The meeting was good and we have decided that the talks will be held on December 3. We wanted a small group to be constituted but farmers' leaders wanted that the talks should be held with everyone, we do not have a problem with it," the minister said.

 

The government had asked farmers' leaders to give names of four to five people from their organizations and constitute a committee which will also have representatives from the government besides agricultural experts to discuss new agricultural laws.

7:24 PM

Students join farmers' protest against farm laws at Singhu, Tikri borders

Students from various universities in Delhi on Tuesday joined the farmers protesting at Singhu and Tikri borders and expressed solidarity with them in their fight against the Centre's new farm laws. The protesters part of a student outfit, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), demanded that three farm legislations should be revoked unconditionally and the BJP government at the Centre should apologise to the people for introducing such "anti-people laws".

 

"We have launched agitations in different states in solidarity with the on-going movement and to bring to the fore the issues being faced especially by the most exploited section -- agricultural workers in the farming sector.

 

Through the enactment of new laws, the BJP government is aiming to benefit the corporates and rich farmers, and completely pauperize the small-marginal farmers and agricultural workers," the KYS said in a statement. Besides revocation of the new agri laws, the KYS also asked the government to take "pro-active steps in allocating lands to agricultural workers" and thereby encourage co-operative farming among them to end their exploitation.

7:14 PM

Govt says dialogue to continue with farmers; another round of meeting on Dec 3

7:12 PM

Farmers' protests LIVE: Unions reject Govt offer to set up committee; talks remain inconclusive

The government on Tuesday offered to set up a committee to look into issues raised by farmers protesting against new farm laws, but it was rejected by representatives of 35 agitating organisations during their marathon meeting with three union ministers that ended without any resolution. The meeting remained inconclusive and the government has called for another round of discussions on Thursday, December 3, union leaders said. Government officials said the dialogue would continue and the next round of talks have been scheduled for Thursday.

Farmer representatives were unanimous in seeking repeal of the three laws that they have been terming as being against the interest of the farm community.

 

The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the Centre's farm laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

 

The government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture. At the nearly three-hour-long meeting at Vigyan Bhawan here, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was accompanied by Railways and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, also an MP from Punjab.

7:04 PM

LIVE: Centre offers to form committee, farmers reject proposal

The government's proposal to form a committee to study the three contentious farms laws was rejected by farmer unions during the ongoing talks called by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday to resolve the issues raised by agitating farmers.

 

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Roop Singh Sanna told IANS that the government proposed to form a committee to study and discuss issues related to the three farm laws enacted in September during Monsoon Session of Parliament.

 

The farmers' leader, while sharing inputs received from its union members attending the farmers-ministers ongoing meeting at Vigyan Bhawan, said the government offered to select four-five members from farmers association to form the committee in which there will be some government members. He said that all the "union leaders unanimously rejected" the government's offer.

6:57 PM

LIVE: We appeal to farmers to suspend protests, says Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

6:45 PM

Meeting between farmers' leaders and Centre concludes; next talks on Dec 3

6:45 PM

Farmers' protest: BJP ally in Haryana suggests giving written assurance on MSP

The BJP's ruling coalition partner in Haryana, the Jannayak Janata Party, on Tuesday suggested that the Centre should give a written assurance to farmers that the minimum support price system will continue. The remark by JJP president Ajay Chautala comes on the day independent MLA Sombir Sangwan withdrew support to the BJP-led government in the state, also expressing support for the farmers against the new farm laws.

 

The farmer unions say the three agri-marketing laws enacted by the BJP-led government at the Centre in September will lead to the dismantling of the MSP system.

 

While the Centre has said the MSP system will continue, many protesting farmers are seeking an assurance in writing, if not a repeal of the new laws. Some are suggesting an amendment to the laws, adding the assurance. Chautala said the assurance on the MSP has been repeatedly made by the Centre, including by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

6:24 PM

Farmers gather at Delhi-Noida border, key route closed for movement

Hundreds of farmers gathered at the Noida and Delhi border on Tuesday, stopping traffic movement on a key route connecting Uttar Pradesh with the national capital. The farmers remained at the Chilla border where police have been deployed on both the Delhi as well as Noida side in huge numbers, prohibiting the protestors from proceeding towards the national capital.

 

In view of the closure of the road, the traffic police of Delhi and Noida have advised commuters to take alternative routes.

 

"Chilla border that links Delhi to UP through Noida has been closed. Those drivers who want to go to Noida can take U-turn from under the Ghazipur-Akshardham flyover and also through Sarai Kale Khan," the Delhi Traffic Police tweeted. Its Noida counterpart also took to Twitter to caution commuters.

 

"The Chilla border has been closed due to the ongoing protest by farmers. Commuters can take alternative Kalindi Kunj or DND routes to go to their destination," it stated.

6:16 PM

LIVE: Govt offers to set up committee to look into farmers' issues

The government on Tuesday offered to set up a committee to look into the issues raised by farmers protesting against new farm laws, as three union ministers and senior officials met representatives of 35 agitating organisations. Farmer representatives were yet to respond to the offer from the government more than two hours into the meeting, but all of them were unanimous in seeking repeal of the three laws that they have been terming as being against the interest of the farm community.

 

The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the Centre's farm laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates. The government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.

 

For the meeting at Vigyan Bhawan here, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was accompanied by Railways and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, also an MP from Punjab.

 

"We are ready for a discussion to resolve their issues. Let's see," Tomar had told reporters as he arrived for the meeting.

 

He further said the government will arrive at a solution after hearing the representatives of the farmer organisations. Heavy security arrangements were in place around the meeting venue.

5:57 PM

LIVE: Chilla border (Delhi-Noida Link Road) closed in wake of protesting farmers

5:57 PM

Out to support agitating farmers, Shaheen Bagh's Bilkis Dadi turned away from Singhu border

Bilkis Dadi, the octogenarian who was the face of the months-long anti-citizenship law protest in the national capital and featured in the Time magazine, was on Tuesday stopped by Delhi Police personnel at the Singhu Border where thousands of farmers have been demonstrating against the centre's new farm laws, officials said.

 

Bilkis, popularly known as the Shaheen Bagh Dadi, had expressed her willingness to join the farmers' protest at the Delhi-Haryana border at Singhu. Soon after she reached the border point to extend her support to the agitating farmers, she was stopped by Delhi Police personnel at the border.

 

"She was stopped at the Singhu Border and was escorted by the police back to her home in southeast Delhi," a senior police officer said.

5:43 PM

Farmers unions, ministers begin talks on agri laws as protests continue

Government ministers and farmers on Tuesday evening began talks in Delhi as protests against new agricultural laws continued outside Delhi, media reports said.

Thirty-five farmers' representatives are meeting Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal in Delhi, said NDTV.

 

Home Minister Amit Shah met Tomar Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and BJP president JP Nadda, for the second time in 48 hours to discuss the sixth day of protests near Delhi. Tomar on Monday had invited leaders of farmer unions for talks on Tuesday, instead of December 3, citing the COVID-19 pandemic and cold, reported PTI.

 

"In our meeting, we have decided to accept the central government's offer to hold talks at 3 pm today. Representatives of protesting farmers will attend the meeting with Union ministers," farmer leader Baljeet Singh Mahal said. READ ON...

5:26 PM

Govt will reach solution after discussing farmers' issues: Agriculture Minister

The government on Tuesday expressed confidence that it will reach a solution after discussing issues raised by protesting farmers, as a meeting got underway between union ministers and representatives of over 30 farmer organisations. For the meeting at Vigyan Bhawan here, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was accompanied by Railways and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, also an MP from Punjab.

 

"We are ready for a discussion to resolve their issues. Let's see," Tomar told reporters as he arrived for the meeting.

 

He further said the government will arrive at a solution after hearing the representatives of the farmer organisations.

 

Hours before the meeting. Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Tomar and Goyal, along with BJP chief J P Nadda, had held marathon discussions over the farmers' protest against the Centre's new agriculture reform laws. Peaceful sit-ins by farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, continued at the Singhu and Tikri borders with no untoward incident reported after Friday's violence, while the numbers of protestors swelled at the Ghazipur border on Monday.

5:24 PM

LIVE: Meeting with farmers' leaders underway at Vigyan Bhawan

5:15 PM

Delhi government notifies one farm law, examining the other two

The Delhi government has notified one of the three central farm laws and is examining the remaining two, officials said on Tuesday.  The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020 was notified on November 23, said a senior Delhi government official.

 

"The remaining two laws are under examination by the development department of the Delhi government," he said.

 

The ruling AAP said the notification allows farmers to sell their crop anywhere, including outside mandis. Selling of fruits and vegetables was already de-regulated in Delhi many years ago; now this holds for grains too, it said.

 

The party has openly supported the farmers demands to scrap the laws. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also demanded withdrawing of the laws in a protest by AAP at Jantar Mantar last month. Officials said that vegetables and fruits were deregulated in 2014 enabling trading beyond agricultural produce marketing committee managed mandis. The notified law adds foodgrains and poultry to the list, they said.

5:02 PM

Farmers' protest: Several former sportspersons to return awards

Several former sportspersons including Padma Shri and Arjuna awardees have extended their support to the agitating farmers and said they will return their awards in protest against the "force" used against the peasants en route to Delhi. Among them are Padma Shri and Arjuna awardee wrestler Kartar Singh, Arjuna awardee basketball player Sajjan Singh Cheema and Arjuna awardee hockey player Rajbir Kaur.

 

They said they will proceed to Delhi on December 5 and will place their awards outside the Rashtrapati Bhavan. They slammed the Centre and Haryana government for using water cannons and teargas against the protesting farmers to stop them from going to Delhi. "We are the children of farmers and they have been holding peaceful agitation for the last several months. Not even a single incident of violence took place.

 

"But water cannons and teargas shells were used against them when they were going to Delhi. If turbans of our elders and brothers are tossed, then what will we do with our awards and honour? We are in support of our farmers. We do not want such awards and that is why we are returning the same," said Cheema on Tuesday.