LIVE: Govt proposes to hold farm laws for 1.5 yrs, farmers say will revert

Farmers' protest LIVE updates: Govt proposed to keep the three farm laws suspended for a fixed time period of one year or so. Stay tuned for LIVE updates

9:17 PM

Will not participate in meetings of court-appointed committee: Farmers unions to SC

Protesting farmer unions on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that they would not participate in meetings and deliberations to be held by the court-appointed committee to address their grievances and maintained they wanted the new farm laws repealed. The top court told the lawyers appearing for farmers unions that all it wanted is resolution of the impasse and peace, while clarifying committee has not been given adjudicatory powers and it will only submit its report to it.

 

A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian was informed by senior advocate Dushyant Dave and advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the farmer unions, who have been made party in the case that they had firm belief that farm laws are against their interest.

 

Bhushan said, We have instructions from our clients to tell that they have taken a stand that they will not participate in the meetings and deliberations to be held by the committee.

 

During the hearing conducted through video conferencing on a plea of Kisan Mahapanchayat' a farmers body from Rajasthan, the bench said, You don't want to appear before the committee is understandable, but casting aspersions on someone because he expressed his view is not done. You don't need to brand anybody like this.

 

8:59 PM

Farmers' tractor rally 'rehearsal' held in Gurugram

The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) in Gurugram conducted a tractor rally 'rehearsal' in Gurugram on Wednesday ahead of Republic Day, in support of the farmers' protests against the three farm laws. SKM president Chaudhary Santokh Singh, farmers and other members of the Morcha participated in the event.

 

Singh said hundreds of tractors and other vehicles which had affixed the national flag on their vehicles started their journey at 12 noon and covered major stretches of the city.

 

"The tractor rally rehearsal started from the Bajghera flyover and later moved towards Palam Vihar Road, Sheetla Mata Road, Atul Kataria Chowk and Maharana Pratap Chowk. The rally covered around 12 kms in the city," Singh said.

 

However, when the tractor rally cavalcade reached the Maharana Pratap Chowk the police personnel stationed at the chowk stopped the tractor rally by erecting barricades at the location as the farmers wanted to go on the Delhi-Jaipur expressway.

8:51 PM

Possibility of finding a resolution on Jan 22: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

8:31 PM

Don't call committee biased, resolve farm laws deadlock: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday did not leave any stone unturned to persuade the farmer unions, agitating against the three farm laws, to talk to the court-appointed committee to resolve the deadlock.

 

A bench headed by Chief Justice S. A. Bobde and comprising Justices A. S Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian slammed the barrage of criticism unleashed at the committee members for having expressed views on the three farm laws.

 

"You people unthinkingly cast aspersions on people, someone expressed some opinion in the past, and you find them unqualified," the Chief Justice told counsel appearing for Kisan Mahapanchayat, which sought modification of its order January 12, naming the members on the committee.

 

The farmers union sought replacement of the existing members, who are perceived pro-farm laws, with persons, who have independent thoughts and views on the laws.

8:19 PM

Centre said a committee would be formed on MSP and agri laws: All India Kisan Sabha

8:03 PM

Tenth round of talks makes no progress, farmers and govt to meet on Jan 22

A tenth round of talks between farmer unions and three union ministers on Wednesday ended with a solution to the stalemate over new agricultural laws protesters say threaten their livelihoods. The two sides will meet again on January 22.
 

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Railways, Commerce and Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, who is an MP from Punjab, held talks with representatives of 40 farmer unions at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi.

 

"The stalemate is continuing over the three laws and I don't think any solution will emerge from today's meeting. Both sides are adamant on their position," said Yudhvir Singh, a leader of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU), told PTI during a break in the talks. READ ON...

7:47 PM

RTI reply exposes Centre's 'lies' on farm laws: Punjab CM Amarinder Singh

With an RTI response exposing the Centre's claim on the farm laws having been approved by the high-powered committee on agricultural reforms, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said it was now obvious that the Akalis and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had been spreading lies at the behest of the Central government.

 

Media reports citing a reply by the Planning Commission to a Right to Information (RTI) query suggest that the farm Ordinances were promulgated and introduced in Parliament in June 2020 without the report of the chief ministers' committee being ever appraised by the Governing Council of NITI Aayog.

 

This, said the Punjab Chief Minister, was in stark contrast to the claims of the Central government, which both Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and AAP had been parroting in an apparent bid to promote the BHP's anti-farmer agenda.

7:07 PM

Constitute committee with farmers and govt: Agriculture Minister to farmer unions

6:27 PM

Govt offers to amend farm laws; Farmer leaders insist on repeal, discussion on MSP

The government on Wednesday offered to amend the three contentious farm laws at their 10th round of talks with protesting unions but farmer leaders stuck to their demand for a complete repeal of the Acts and alleged that the Centre was avoiding discussion on a legal guarantee for MSP.

 

Farmer leaders said there was no breakthrough in the first two sessions as both sides were stuck on their stated positions vis-a-vis the three farm laws and there was little hope of any outcome other than fixing the date for the 11th round. Sources also said the government proposed to keep the three farm laws suspended for a fixed time period of one year or so and form a committee comprising of farmer union leaders and government representatives.

 

The ministers proposed that the laws would remain suspended till the committee gives its report and urged farmer unions to suspend their agitation till that time, sources added. The proposal, however, did not find any support from the farm leaders.

5:53 PM

Akali leader Sirsa urges Govt to mark Gurupurab by repealing contentious farm laws

Akali Dal leader Majinder Sirsa on Wednesday said the government should mark the auspicious occasion of Gurupurab by repealing the three contentious farm laws, against which thousands of farmers are protesting for almost two months on borders of the national capital.

 

Sirsa, who also heads Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC), further said the proposed tractor rally by farmers will take place as per the schedule on January 26 whether the Delhi police allocate a route or not. He was speaking to reporters after delivering langar food for farmer leaders attending their tenth round of talks with the government at Vigyan Bhawan.

 

Sirsa said farmers are peace-loving and patriotic by nature and it is strange that the Centre feels they may disrupt the atmosphere on Republic Day.

5:10 PM

Farm laws panel has no power to judge, 'don't cast aspersions': SC

The Supreme Court Wednesday expressed strong displeasure over the aspersions cast by some farmers' unions on members of the court-appointed committee to resolve the impasse over new farm laws and said it has not given any adjudicating authority to the panel.

 

The Centre, meanwhile, withdrew its petition seeking injunction against the proposed tractor rally by farmers on the Republic Day after the apex court said it was police matter.

 

On the issue pertaining to the committee, a bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde said it had appointed experts in the panel as the judges are not experts on the subject. READ ON...

4:25 PM

SC irked over aspersions cast on members of court-appointed committee on farm laws

The Supreme Court Wednesday expressed strong displeasure over the aspersions cast by some farmers' unions on members of the court-appointed committee to resolve the impasse over new farm laws, saying no adjudicating authority has been given to the experts who would hear grievances and give report only.

 

Meanwhile, the hopes of Delhi Police to get a judicial order to stop the proposed tractor rally by the protesting farmers on the Republic Day in the national capital were dashed as the top court asked the Centre to withdraw the plea, saying it was a police matter and was not an issue for the court to pass orders.

 

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde issued notice and sought response of Attorney General K K Venugopal on a separate plea of Kisan Mahapanchayat, farmers body from Rajasthan, seeking removal of three remaining members of the apex-court appointed panel and the replacement of Bhupinder Singh Mann who had recused himself from the panel.

3:44 PM

Farmers' tractor rally on R-Day: Union leaders reject suggestion of alternative route

Farmer unions opposing the Centre's new agri laws on Wednesday rejected a suggestion by police officers to hold their proposed January 26 tractor rally on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway instead of Delhi's busy Outer Ring Road, PTI report  said. Union leaders and officers of the Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana police forces had met at the Vigyan Bhawan here to discuss the route and arrangements of the proposed rally on Republic Day.

 

The farmer leaders were suggested by the police officers to take out their rally on the KundliManesarPalwal (KMP) Expressway, but they did not agree. The Outer Ring Road passes through several areas of Delhi such as Vikaspuri, Janakpuri, Uttam Nagar, Burari Peeragarhi and Pitampura.

 

There might be another round of talks with the police officers on Thursday, a farmer leader, who attended the meeting, said. Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting at several Delhi border points against the laws for the last 56 days and unions representing them have begun holding tractor rallies at villages in Punjab to mobilise people for the demonstration on Republic Day.

3:25 PM

Union ministers start 10th round of talks with protesting farmer unions

The tenth round of talks between protesting farmer unions and three central ministers got underway here on Wednesday to break the over-a-month-long deadlock on the three new agri laws. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Railways, Commerce and Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, who is an MP from Punjab, are holding the talks with the representatives of around 40 farmer unions at the Vigyan Bhawan here.

 

The tenth round of talks was initially scheduled on January 19, but later got postponed to Wednesday.

 

In the last round of talks, the government had asked protesting farmers to prepare a concrete proposal about their objections and suggestions on the three farm laws for further discussion at their next meeting to end the long-running protest. But, unions stuck to their main demand of a complete repeal of the three Acts.

3:22 PM

SC declines to entertain plea to stop tractor rally on Republic Day

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to entertain an application by Centre through Delhi Police to stop protesting farmer unions from carrying out tractor rally into the Capital on Republic Day.

 

A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde said it is highly improper for the court to intervene in the matter, as the police is the first authority to decide on the issue of law and order. The top court also turned down the Centre's request to have a hearing on the matter on January 25 and also keep the application pending. The Centre withdrew the application from the top court.

 

The Chief Justice told Attorney General K.K. Venugopal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, that "you are the executive, you have authority to take whatever action through police.....Centre has powers to act on law and order, we won't intervene." READ ON...

 

3:01 PM

Farmer dies after consuming poisonous substance at Tikri border

A farmer who allegedly consumed a poisonous substance at the Tikri border died during treatment at a hospital here on Wednesday, police said. The deceased has been identified as Jai Bhagwan Rana (42), a resident of Pakasma village in Rohtak district of Haryana. He had consumed Sulphas tablets at the farmers' protest site at Tikri on Tuesday, they said.

 

In a purported suicide note, Rana said he was a small farmer and many peasants have taken to the streets to protest against the Centre's new farm laws.

 

"The government says it is a matter of only two to three states, but farmers from all over the country are protesting against the laws. Sadly, it is not a movement now, but a fight of issues. The talks between the farmers and the Centre also remain deadlocked," he wrote in the letter.

 

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) A Koan said the man was taken to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital by CAT ambulance where he passed away during the course of treatment.

2:54 PM

10th round of talks between farmer leaders and Centre over Farm Laws begins

2:37 PM

Farm laws: Union Ministers arrive at Vigyan Bhawan, meeting to begin shortly

Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal have arrived at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi. The tenth round of talks between farmer leaders and Centre over the three farm laws will begin shortly. 

 

2:24 PM

10th round of talks between farmer leaders and Centre over Farm Laws to begin shortly

2:17 PM

Farmers assemble at Harike Pattan in Tarn Taran district to head to Delhi

2:07 PM

A delegation of farmer leaders arrive at Vigyan Bhawan for tenth round of talks with Centre

1:58 PM

Day 56 of protest: Centre, farmers to hold 10th round of talks

Even as the protest by farmers on the Delhi borders continued for the 56th day on Wednesday, leaders of farmers were slated to hold the 10th round of talks with the Centre on their unfulfilled demands here in the afternoon. The farmers are sticking to their demand for the repeal of three new central farm laws and a legal guarantee for the procurement of crops at Minimum Support Price (MSP) whereas the Union government is ready to bring about amendments in these laws.

 

Over 40 representatives of farmer organisations present in the previous rounds of talks would meet with three Union Ministers at 2 pm at the Vigyan Bhavan here. The meeting was earlier scheduled to be held on January 19 but was postponed by a day.

 

Punjab farmer leader Kirpa Singh said that farmer leaders would first like to deliberate on their core demand for the repeal of the three laws during the latest talks. Punjab-based farmer leader and Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) General Secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal said: "In the previous talks, we urged the Union government to discuss the MSP issue. We will again discuss it in this meeting as well."

11:04 AM

Sharad Pawar to participate in protest against farm laws at Mumbai's Azad Maidan on Jan 25

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar is set to take part in a protest against farm laws at Mumbai's Azad Maidan on January 25.

 

The NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said that the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government will be supporting this protest organised by the farmer organizations. They will also take out a march to Raj Bhawan.

 

"NCP chief Sharad Pawar will take part in a protest against farm laws at Mumbai's Azad Maidan on 25th January. MVA government will be supporting this protest organized by a few farmer organisations. Farmers will also take out a march to Raj Bhawan," said Nawab Malik.

 

10:13 AM

SC-appointed committee can't resolve crisis over farm laws: Sukhbir Badal

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday claimed the Supreme Court-appointed committee could not play any constructive role in resolving the deadlock between the farmers and the Centre following the latter's refusal to accept peasants' demand of repealing the farm laws.

 

He also said that 'kisan shakti' had the power to "wipe out" the BJP.

 

Badal was speaking to the media after holding ward-level meetings in Nawanshahr, Banga and Phagwara. Read on...

10:10 AM

There is lack of understanding of fundamentals: Rahul Gandhi over PM's 'silence' on farmers' protest

Taking a potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over commenting on the Capitol Hill violence in the US and maintaining "silence" on the farmers' protest, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that the former has a "lack of understanding of fundamentals".

 

"I remember the Prime Minister saying 'Iss baar Trump sarkar'...As a PM of the country, you do not do something like that because you are disrespecting the people of the United States. This is their choice, not yours. So, there is a lack of understanding of fundamentals. Now, of course, Trump lost," replied Gandhi on being asked about PM Modi's reaction to Capitol Hill riots and farmers' protest.

9:36 AM

Request protesters to participate in protest rally near Sangolli Rayanna statue: DK Shivakumar, Congress

I know BJP govt is trying to stop farmers at any cost and not letting them participate in the protest. I request protesters to come to Sangolli Rayanna statue and participate in the massive protest rally: DK Shivakumar, Karnataka Congress chief

9:14 AM

Farmers are more sensible than PM, says Rahul Gandhi amid ongoing agitation against agri laws

Intensifying his attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government over newly-enacted farm laws, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday claimed that "the government feels that farmers can be weary and fooled, but farmers are more sensible than the Prime Minister".

 

Responding to the ongoing deadlock between the agitating farmers' organisation and the Centre, Gandhi said: "Due to arrogance, the government feels that farmers can be weary and fooled, but farmers are more sensible than the Prime Minister."

 

"During the last few years, the government has been handing over all the business to some industrialists close to them and till now the monopoly-protected farming sector is on the agenda and Prime Minister Modi wants to hand over it to some people through these laws," he said.

 

Supporting the ongoing farmers' agitation, Gandhi said, "The farmers of Punjab and Haryana are struggling to save the livelihood of 60 per cent of the population dependent on agriculture."

9:11 AM

Tenth round of talks between govt, farmers over contentious agri laws today

The tenth round of talks between the Central government and farmers' representatives over the contentious agricultural laws will be held today at Vigyan Bhavan at 2 pm.

 

The talks were earlier scheduled for January 19 was later postponed to today. Read on...