LIVE: SC to pronounce orders on Tuesday on pleas challenging farm laws

Farmers' protest LIVE updates: "Whether you have faith or not, we are the Supreme Court of India, we will do our job", SC tells farmer unions

2:04 AM

Centre moves SC against proposed farmers' tractor rally on Republic Day

The Centre on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking an injunction against the proposed tractor or trolley march or any other kind of protest which seeks to disrupt the august gathering and celebrations of the Republic Day on January 26.
 

In an application filed through the Delhi Police, the Centre has said that it has come to the knowledge of the security agencies that a small group of protesting individuals or organisations have planned to carry out a tractor march on Republic Day.
 

"It is submitted that the proposed march is slated to disturb and disrupt the august celebrations of nation on Republic Day and would be bound to create a massive law and order situation," the application said.
 

"It is submitted that the said proposed march/protest seeks to disrupt and disturb such celebrations which is bound to create a serious law and order situation and will cause an embarrassment to the nation," it said.
 

It said that right to protest is always subject to the "countervailing public order and the public interest" and the right to protest can never include "maligning the nation globally".
 

"It is submitted that the Republic day function on January 26 each year has its own constitutional as well as historical significance. The January 26 Republic Day ceremony is not an isolated standalone ceremony rather a grand rehearsal takes place on January 23 where everything which is to happen on January 26 of each year is rehearsed," the application said.
 

"Any disruption or obstruction in the said functions would not only be against the law and order, public order, public interest but would also be a huge embarrassment for the nation," it said while referring to the Republic Day ceremony.
 

 

2:03 AM

Villagers protesting against farmers' stir return home

A day after blocking traffic on one carriageway of Jaipur-Delhi National Highway alleging that protesting farmers were creating unemployment and littering garbage in adjoining fields, local villagers returned home on Monday after Haryana police opened a slip lane on the highway.
 

On Sunday, locals near agitation site in Shajahanpur of Rajasthan's Alwar had pitched tents on one carriageway of the highway against the farmers' agitation.
 

Sumer Singh, a protesting villager said their work and employment have been adversely affected due to the farmers' blockade and demanded its immediate removal.
 

Farmer leader Rampal Jat, however, asserted that it is the Haryana police and not the agitating farmers who have blocked the highway as farmers wanted to march to Delhi but Haryana the police have erected barricades to stop them.
 

“Protesting villagers should put pressure on the Haryana police for removing blockade," he added.
 

Bhiwadi SP Ram Murti Joshi said senior officials of the Rajasthan and Haryana police met on late Sunday evening and discussed the issues with farmers and villagers after which slip lane on the highway in Shahjahanpur was opened by Haryana police.
 

The road was closed on December 31 after several farmers had forcibly crossed into Haryana border.
 

"The tension has eased after the opening of the slip lane and now there are no villagers on the highway," he said.

2:03 AM

Farmers threaten to 'gherao' UP Raj Bhavan

A section of farmers protesting against the three central farm laws on Monday threatened to ‘gherao' Uttar Pradesh Raj Bhavan on January 23.
 

Bhartiya Kisan Union spokesperson Dharmendra Malik in a statement said the agitating farmers would also burn copies of farm legislation on that day.
 

Malik said the BKU executive committee, in a meeting at Ghazipur-UP gate border, also decided to observe January 18 as Mahila Kisan Divas (Women Farmers' Day) during which the womenfolk of villages would lead the ongoing protest against the government.
 

Referring to some observations by the Supreme Court during the hearing of a bunch of petitions against the farm laws, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said these remarks by the apex court were a “slap” on the face of the government and Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar should resign on moral grounds after these remarks.

2:02 AM

Argentine farmers continue sales strike despite new corn export policy

Argentine farmers said on Monday they would continue their ban on selling crops despite the government's decision to amend the corn export suspension that has triggered a sales strike in the South American grains powerhouse.
 

The government replaced the two-month export suspension with a temporary daily limit of 30,000 tonnes of corn that can be sold into the international market. But the country's main farm groups said they objected to the new policy as well.
 

"For us, it's the same," said the president of the Argentine Rural Society (SRA), Daniel Pelegrina, in an interview with the local news site Canal Rural, on Twitter.

He said the SRA would continue the ban on sales.
 

The Argentine Rural Confederation (CRA) announced, also by way of Twitter, that it would continue the sales strike.
 

"This kind of government intervention in the market alters the rules and undermines growers' confidence, generating uncertainty about next season's sowing," CRA said in a tweet.

11:04 PM

Haaryana CM has lost 'lost faith of people', he must resign: Congress

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar should resign as he has "lost the faith of the people" and the moral authority to rule after farmers did not allow his chopper to land during an event in Karnal: Congress

9:52 PM

Centre files affidavit before SC, says repeal demand by farmers not acceptable

Union of India files an affidavit in SC, after hearing concluded in farmers' issue today. It submitted that the Acts received wide acceptance across the country & some farmers & others objecting, had put a condition of repeal, it's neither justifiable nor acceptable.

9:36 PM

Bhupinder Singh Hooda asks Haryana CM to ask Centre to repeal farm laws

Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda asks Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to convince Centre to repeal new farm laws instead of proposing to hold programmes like in Karnal

8:47 PM

Farmers protest: We don't want anybody's blood on our hands, says SC

We don't want anybody's blood on our hands," said the Supreme Court on Monday while expressing apprehension that the ongoing farmers' protest against the new farm laws might lead to violence and loss of lives and property if it continues for long. The apex court, which observed that the Centre has made these laws without enough consultation, said the most serious concern is about any sort of violence and possible loss of lives.

 

Responsibility is on all of us. Any stray incident can spark violence, said a bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde. Each one of us will be responsible if something goes wrong. We don't want anybody's blood on our hands," said the bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.

 

The bench said it is not going to protect any law breakers and want to prevent any loss of lives and property. The top court, which was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the new farm laws as well as the ones raising issues related to the ongoing agitation at Delhi borders, expressed its displeasure that the Centre has not been able to solve the problem.

8:25 PM

Sonia Gandhi speaks to opposition leaders to plan joint strategy over farm laws

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has spoken to leaders of opposition parties to plan out a joint strategy in the budget session of Parliament regarding the Centre's new farm laws, sources said on Monday. A meeting will also be held over the new laws before the start of Parliament session later this month, they said.

 

Congress is supporting agitation by farmers against new farm laws. The party has said it will stage protests outside governor houses across the country on January 15 to extend support to the ongoing farmers' agitation. The party is observing the day as 'Kisan Adhikar Diwas'.

 

The party has also decided to bring like-minded opposition parties on one platform to discuss the farm laws before the start of the budget session of the Parliament. Congress-ruled Punjab and Rajasthan have passed bills to counter Centre's farm laws.

7:50 PM

800 farmers booked for violence in Haryana's Karnal

A day after farmers indulged in vandalism at a public function's venue in Karnal district of Haryana, in which Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was to participate, police on Monday booked over 800 farmers for the incident.

 

The 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' programme slated to be attended by Khattar in a Karnal village was cancelled after protesting farmers opposed to the Centre's three new agricultural laws created a ruckus at the venue.

 

The Chief Minister had accused Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) President Gurnam Singh Charuni, the opposition Congress, and the Left for "instigating" people to indulge in vandalism.

 

Earlier, Charuni had threatened to oppose the 'Kisan Mahapanchayat'.