Farmers' stir LIVE: Rajasthan Congress to hold dialogue with farmers

20:41 December 27

Govt must earn farmers' trust, shelve pollution ordinance & power bill before talks: Cong MPs

New Delhi: Two Congress MPs from Punjab on Sunday said the Centre should withdraw the recent stubble burning ordinance and the Electricity Amendment Bill before its next round of talks with protesting farmer unions so that the dialogue to end the stalemate over three agri-marketing laws can progress smoothly.

The government must earn trust of the protesting farmers, said parliamentarians Ravneet Singh Bittu and Jasbir Singh Gill who have been staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar here for three weeks now in solidarity with the ongoing agitation.

Farmer groups protesting against the Centre''s three farm laws have proposed a meeting with the government at 11 am on December 29. Previously, several rounds of talks between the farmer unions and the government have failed to break the deadlock.

Besides demanding the repeal of the three farm laws, the agitating farmers want the government to withdraw the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance, 2020 and to shelve the Electricity Amendment Bill.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters here, Bittu said, "The government should stop being arrogant and should repeal the laws relating to power dues and stubble burning penalty."

20:40 December 27

Rajasthan Congress to hold dialogue with farmers

Jaipur:  The Congress will hold dialogue with farmers in every Assembly constituency in Rajasthan from December 28 to 30 to make them aware about the Centre''s three farm laws which the party said was against the interests of the peasantry.

Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra said the Rajasthan government is with the agitating farmers and support their demand for repeal of the laws.

He said that the Congress will hold dialogue with farmers in every Assembly constituency of the state with an aim to make them aware of the laws and support the ongoing agitation.

Dotasra said that state ministers will address farmers and hold press conferences to aware them about the anti-farmer laws and to highlight various achievements of the state government.

20:40 December 27

Punjab CM, SAD attack BJP for calling agitating farmers 'urban Naxals'

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the BJP over the malicious and derogatory terms allegedly used by its senior leaders against protesting farmers. Singh asked the BJP to stop maligning farmers and their genuine fight for justice by using offensive terms like “urban Naxals, Khalistanis, hooligans etc”. “If the BJP cannot distinguish between anguished citizens fighting for their survival and terrorists, militants and hooligans, it should give up all pretence of being a people''s party,” the chief minister said in a statement here. “A party which treats citizens exercising their democratic right of protest as Naxals and terrorists has lost all right to rule over those citizens,” he added. The Shiromani Akali Dal too condemned the BJP for allegedly terming Punjab farmers as “urban Naxals”. 

20:39 December 27

Farmers' protest example of govt's failure: Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow:  Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday accused the BJP of giving importance to its "capitalist friends" and said the farmers'' protest against the new agri laws is an example of the "failure" of the government.

The BJP government at the Centre is making offers to farmers for talks, but on the other hand, it is levelling "baseless allegations" on the protesting farmers, he said in a statement issued here.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) chief, however, did not elaborate on the issue of allegations on farmers.

"This is an insult to farmers, who are staging a sit-in for their rights. The BJP, while supporting its favourite capitalist friends, is walking a path which is against farmers, labourers and those from the lower-middle-income group. The government is giving Kisan Samman, but the new farm laws will cause losses worth thousands and lakhs to farmers," Yadav said.

The former chief minister also said that after the BJP came to power, bad times started for farmers. "The current farmers'' agitation is a living example of the failure of the BJP government. The SP is standing with the farmers," he said.

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, are protesting against the laws since the last week of November at various border points of Delhi and demanding that the legislation be repealed.

Farmers are protesting against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

20:37 December 27

CPI(M) leader calls for active support to ongoing farmers agitation

Jammu:Senior CPI(M) leader and former MLA M Y Tarigami on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the central government over the ongoing farmers agitation and called for active solidarity support to them for early revocation of the new agri laws in the country.

He was speaking at a day-long convention organised by Jammu and Kashmir Kisan Tehrik, affiliated with All India Kisan Sabha, here, which passed several resolutions like solidarity and support to the farmers agitation, a joint march of workers and farmers to Delhi, demanding immediate repeal of all three agri laws, electricity amendment bill 2020, legislation for MSP and early fruitful negotiations with farmers.

"This vital struggle of farmers must be backed up and strengthened by the active solidarity and support from all other sections of the working people," the CPI(M) leader said.

Tarigami said corporate companies and their international counterparts want to dominate the Indian economy in which they have the freedom to decide the price for the farm produce and the wage and working time of the workers.

"Multinational corporations are always eyeing the domestic food market of India to pile up their food products for highest profiteering. And now bringing three farm acts and four labour codes, the Modi government is facilitating the corporatization of agriculture and the entire Indian economy with the backdoor entry of MNCs through corporate mergers and facilitating foreign direct investment," he claimed.

20:24 December 27

I appeal with folded hands to Centre to repeal farm laws: Delhi CM Kejriwal

New Delhi:Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday appealed to the Centre to repeal the new farm laws and said farmers are protesting for their survival.

In his second visit to the Singhu border, where thousands of farmers are protesting against the laws since November last week, Kejriwal said, "I challenge any Union minister to have an open debate with the farmers and it will be clear how beneficial or harmful these laws are."

Kejriwal, who had first visited Singhu on the Delhi-Haryana border on December 7, was accompanied by his deputy Manish Sisodia.

"Farmers are protesting for their survival. These laws will snatch away their land. I appeal with folded hands to the Centre to please repeal the three agri laws," he said.

Sisodia told the protesting farmers, "We are closely watching all the arrangements and we are ensuring that the pain you (farmers) endure is minimum."

During his first visit, Kejriwal had checked the arrangements made for farmers by the Delhi government.

Kejriwal and his party AAP have strongly come out in favour of the farmers protesting against the new agri laws.

Besides Singhu, farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, are also protesting at various other border points of Delhi against the new farm laws.

18:39 December 27

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal & Dy CM Manish Sisodia visit Guru Tegh Bahadur Memorial at Singhu.

"Our farmers are forced to sleep on streets in open amid cold since last 32 days. Why? It pains me that over 40 people have lost their lives here. I appeal to the Centre to listen to them and repeal the Farm Laws," said, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

"Our CM has been working 24 hours to make efforts to reduce the troubles faced by the farmers. Despite all the pressure, the stadiums weren't converted into prisons. It would have been a black spot in history if we had done that," said, Delhi Dy CM Manish Sisodia, at the Singhu border

18:18 December 27

Delhi CM reaches Singhu border to meet farmers

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal arrived at the Guru Tegh Bahadur memorial at Singhu (Delhi-Haryana) border on Sunday to extend support to the ongoing farmers' agitation.

17:41 December 27

Protesting farmers in Punjab, Haryana beat 'thalis' during PM's 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme

Chandigarh:Farmers on Sunday beat "thalis" at a few places in Punjab and Haryana during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ''Mann Ki Baat'' radio programme as part of their protest against the Centre's new agri laws.

While addressing a press conference on December 20 at Delhi''s Singhu border, farmer leaders had asked people protesting against the laws to beat utensils during the programme, the same way the prime minister had asked them in March to beat ''thalis'' (steel plates).

Modi had asked people to express gratitude towards those at the forefront of combating the coronavirus and extending essential services by giving a five-minute standing ovation by clapping, beating plates or ringing bells.

Farmers beat "thalis" during protests at Amritsar, Ferozepur, Sangrur, Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts in Punjab and Rohtak and Jind districts in Haryana, among other places in the two states.

"The common people too are with farmers in their agitation against the farm laws," said a protester in Amritsar as he beat a "thali" with a spoon and raised "Jai Kisan" slogan.

At many places, farmers, who were joined by people from other sections of society, raised slogans against the BJP-led government at the Centre.

Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni went to the Makrauli toll plaza in Rohtak district along with a group of farmers to protest against the legislation.

17:37 December 27

Lawyer from Punjab commits suicide near farmers' protest site

Jhajjar (Haryana):A lawyer from Punjab allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison on Sunday a few kilometres from the site of a farmers' protest at Tikri border.

Amarjit Singh from Jalalabad in Punjab's Fazilka district was taken to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak where doctors declared him dead on arrival, police said.

In a purported suicide note, Singh said he was sacrificing his life in support of the farmers' agitation against the Centre's new farm laws so that the government is compelled to listen to the voice of the people.

Singh wrote that the common people like farmers and labourers are feeling 'defrauded' due to the three 'black' agriculture laws and 'the worst life is inevitable'.

The police said they are verifying the authenticity of the suicide note, dated December 18.

'We have informed the relatives of the deceased and once they reach here their statements will be recorded and further proceedings will be conducted,' a police officer from Haryana's Jhajjar district said, adding that they were informed about the suicide by the hospital authorities.

Earlier, at least two suicides have been linked to the farmers' stir, underway at various border points of Delhi for over a month now.

A Sikh preacher, Sant Ram Singh, allegedly committing suicide near the Singhu border protest site earlier this month claiming that he was 'unable to bear the pain of the farmers'.

A 22-year-old farmer had allegedly committed suicide in Punjab's Bathinda after returning from a protest site near the Delhi border.

A week ago, a 65-year-old farmer from Punjab had attempted suicide by consuming some poisonous substance near the Singhu border.

Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and some other states have been protesting at various border points of Delhi against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.

Enacted in September, the three farm laws have been projected by the central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.

However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandi system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

17:22 December 27

More support pouring in from NRIs for protesting farmers

As farmers staying rock solid with their protest and demand seeking repeal of three farm laws, non-resident Indians (NRIs)  have proved to be a great help in sustaining their agitation.  

While NRIs have come forward to support farmers through their relatives and known people in the villages, common villagers too have pitched in by providing ration for the protesters.

"We should help farmers, putting up a fight for their future. As farmers, we can feel the pain of our brothers. So, we decided to help them with services and ration," said Randheer Singh, a resident of the UK.

16:26 December 27

Wait for 2 yrs to see effects of farm laws: Defence Min appeals to farmers

Speaking at a virtual ceremony to commemorate three years of BJP government in Himachal Pradesh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh appealed to farmers to wait two years to see the effects of the new farm laws. He added that if farmers are not satisfied after two years, the Centre will be ready to have discussions again.

15:59 December 27

Punjab CM lashes out at BJP 

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh lashed out at the BJP on Sunday. He said in a tweet, "The statement given by senior @BJP4India leadership in today’s newspapers calling the farmers urban naxals is downright foolish & petty. Do they think that the farmer law distress is limited to only Delhi?"

14:55 December 27

Tikri border farmers lament after family members' death

As the farm protest enters 31th day at Singhu border and other areas near Delhi, farmers' organisation and governments' talks still remain inconclusive.  

It is pertinent to be mentioned here that many farmers have died, several of them committed suicide, during this one month protest.  

According to reports, farmers have committed suicide since they launched their agitation on October 19.

Meanwhile, ETV Bharat interacted with some women whose family members have committed suicide as "sacrifice" in support of the protests.  

"After losing hopes from the government and continuously getting distressed caused by debt, people are committing suicide. The government should think about us and should change the decision," a woman lamented.  

Reportedly, among these women protesters, the majority are widows, sisters or mothers of farmers who committed suicide.

Another septuagenarian farmer, Nacchattar Singh from Punjab's Sangrur lamented while speaking to ETV Bharat that his 21-year-old son committed suicide due to distressed caused by debt.

12:46 December 27

Protesting farmers grow crops on Burari ground

Protesting farmers say they're using Nirankari Samagam ground in Burari to grow crops.

"Since we've been sitting idle for a month during protests, we thought of growing onions as we can use it for our daily cooking. We'll grow more crops on Burari ground," said a farmer.

12:38 December 27

Farmers to halt toll collection in Haryana for indefinite period

Haryana state President of Bharatiya Kisan Union Gurnam Singh Charuni on Sunday gave a call to his union workers to extend the protests at all the state toll plazas for an indefinite period of time until the government accept the farmers' demands.

In a video released on Sunday, Gurnam Singh said that We visited several toll plazas today and their common people suggested that these tolls should be freed permanently. Following, we took suggestions from the people through social media and suggested that the toll plazas should be freed permanently. He further added "the decision of freeing the Haryana tolls has also been taken in our national executive committee meeting. The tolls will now be kept free for an indefinite period even after December 27 in Haryana until the government accepts our demands".

09:26 December 27

Farmers protest is more than Pizza and Gol Gappa langar

Thousands of farmers are protesting against the new farm laws on the borders of Delhi and Haryana and the protest entered 31 day today. Many people came in support of the farmers and organised Pizza and Gol Gappa langars for them.

However, farmers protest is mote than that. Talking exclusively to ETV Bharat, many farmers said that they have lakhs of rupees as loans on their heads. These farmers feel neglected as media mostly focus on pizzas and Gol Gappas.

08:19 December 27

Punjab farmer cycles 470 kilometre for 3 days to join protests at Singhu

Dilbhag Singh, a 50-year-old farmer who was extremely keen on joining the farmers protesting at Delhi borders, took his bicycle, packed some essentials and cycled 470 kilometres from his hometown in Punjab’s Tarn Taran Sahib to the Singhu border and had only ₹ 100 with him which he has donated to the farmers.

Talking to ETV Bharat, Dilbag Singh said that he does not want the new generation to understand that their elders were weak or could not fight for their rights.  He has also tied a banner around his cycle which mention his name, residential address, the kilometres he covered and the reason for his journey.

07:30 December 27

NRI from England reaches Singhu border

Many people not only from India but also from abroad are coming in support of farmers at Singhu border.

Randhir Singh, who hails from the United Kingdom reached Singhu border with medicines and snacks for the protesting farmers.

While talking to ETV Bharat, Randhir Singh said he belongs to a family of farmers and will support them and will support the protesting farmers till the end.

07:05 December 27

Farmers hold tractor rally

Farmers in Amritsar held tractors and car rally to support farmers protest.

06:38 December 27

Farmers' stir LIVE: Farmer unions agree to talk to Centre on Dec 29

New Delhi: The protesting farmer unions on Saturday decided to resume their dialogue with the Centre, and proposed December 29 for the next round of talks to end the deadlock over the three newly enacted farm laws, but made it clear that the modalities for its repeal and guarantee for MSP should be part of the agenda.

The decision by the agitating farmers to hold another round of talks with the government was taken at a meeting of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions protesting at various Delhi border points against the farm laws for more than a month.

The decision also came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that his government is willing to hold talks with all, including its staunch critics, as long as they are based on farm issues, facts and logic, and squarely blamed political rivals for the stalemate in the Centre-farmer unions talks.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also urged the protesting farmers to resolve their issues through discussions.

In a letter to Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Vivek Aggarwal, the Morcha said, "We propose that the next meeting between the farmers' representatives and the Government of India be held on December 29 2020 at 11 am."

"As the government is willing to hold talks with us, and asking for a date and about our issues, we have proposed to hold a dialogue on December 29. Now, the ball is in the government's court, when it calls us for talks," Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said.

Addressing a press conference, farmer leaders said the modalities for the repeal of three farm laws and guarantee for MSP -- minimum support price at which the government procures crops from farmers -- should be part of the agenda for resuming talks with the government.

The farmers also decided to intensify their agitation, with farmer leader Darshan Pal saying that a tractor march will be held on Kundli-Manesar-Palwal highway on December 30. He asked people from Delhi and other parts of country to come and celebrate New Year with protesting farmers.

Another farmer leader, Rajinder Singh, said,"we will march from Singhu to Tikri to KMP. We ask farmers from surrounding states to come in huge numbers in their trolleys and tractors. If the govt doesn't want us to block the KMP highway, then they better announce the repeal of the three farm laws."

Earlier this week, Aggarwal had written to the 40 protesting unions and invited them for fresh talks, but made it clear that it would not be "logical" to include in the agenda any new demand related to the MSP, which is out of the purview of the three new farm laws.

Responding to the government's letter, SKM in its communication said, "unfortunately, your (Aggarwal's) letter continues the government's attempt to mislead the public by suppressing true facts about the deliberations in the previous meetings. We have consistently demanded the repeal of the three Central Farm Acts, whereas the government has distorted our position as if we were asking for amendments to these Acts."

The letter further added that "If you are sincere about respectfully listening to farmers, as you say in your letter, the government must not indulge in misinformation about the previous meetings. The campaign launched by the entire state machinery to defame and malign the farmers' movement must stop forthwith."

In a related development, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) convenor and Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal announced a split from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over these farm laws.

"I am not stuck with Fevicol with the NDA. Today, I separate myself from the NDA," Beniwal said while addressing a farmers' rally in Shahjahanpur in Alwar district.

Attacking the Congress, the BJP alleged that the opposition party wants to convert peaceful farmers' protest into "bloodshed", and accused the Punjab government of orchestrating an attack on BJP workers in the state during an event to celebrate former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birthday.

"If there is any bloodshed or loss (of life) in the coming days, then the Congress and the left parties will be responsible," BJP general secretary Dushyant Gautam told a press conference, alleging that Congress' Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu in a media statement had said that the farmers' protest will not end "and to achieve our objective we can even pile up bodies, shed blood and go to any extent".

In Bengaluru, former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy said India's image is taking a hit globally because of the ongoing farmers' protest and urged Modi to end the stalemate.

He also asked farmers to have an open mind towards experimenting with the new laws, as suggested by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Thousands of farmers have been camping at three Delhi border points -- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur -- for nearly a month, demanding the repeal of these farm laws, enacted in September, and a legal guarantee on minimum support price.

While the government has presented these laws as major reforms aimed at helping farmers, protesting unions have maintained these acts will leave them at the mercy of big corporates by weakening the mandi and MSP systems.

Also on Saturday, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Hooda reiterated his stand of bringing a no-confidence motion against the government in the Assembly, saying "many Independent MLAs have withdrawn support from the government".

Two Independent MLAs -- Sombir Sangwan and Balraj Kundu -- have withdrawn support to the state government, while many of the 10 legislators of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) have openly come out in support of the farmers protesting against the Centre's three farm laws.

"In this battle between the farmers and the government, many legislators of coalition partner JJP have also spoken in support of the farmers. It is clear that the BJP-JJP coalition government has lost not only support from the public but also the confidence of its own legislators," Hooda said.