Farmers' Stir LIVE: Farmers to hold 'Kisan Gantantra Parade' if demands aren't met

15:29 January 02

Canadian man of Indian origin distributes sleeping bags to farmers

Seeing the plight of agitating farmers in chilling cold weather of Delhi, an Indian-origin youth living in Canada has come to India and distributing sleeping bags to them.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Jaspreet Singh, a resident of Vancouver, said that he has been continuously following the farmers' protest and was aghast to see farmers dying out of the cold.

Keeping this in mind, he, along with some of his friends, collected 21,000 Canadian dollars through crowdfunding and managed to get sleeping bags for farmers.

14:59 January 02

'Farmers to hold 'Kisan Gantantra Parade' if demands are not met'

Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav said if demands are not met till Jan 26, then farmers will hold 'Kisan Gantantra Parade' in Delhi.  

"We appeal to farmers from adjoining areas of national capital to be prepared & request every farmer family of the country to send a member to Delhi if possible," he said. 

14:47 January 02

Farmers to hold marches towards Governors' Houses on Jan 23

Krantikari Kisan Union President Darshan Pal said they will hold marches towards Governors' Houses in different States on January 23 and 'tractor Kisan Parade' will be held on January 26 in Delhi. 

10:26 January 02

Farmers' body found hanging inside toilet

A farmer protesting against the farm laws was found hanging inside a toilet located at the UP gate. It is being said that the farmer has committed suicide.

The local police took charge of the situation and have sent the body to a civil hospital in Sonipat for post mortem.

The 70-year-old farmer hailed from Bilaspur and was found dead on Saturday morning.

The reasons for suicide have not been cleared. A suicide note was also found near the body in which the farmer has mentioned where his last rites should be held.

09:57 January 02

Jharkhand agriculture minister backs farmers' protest

The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperation of Jharkhand Badal Patlekh spent 31 December with agitating farmers in Delhi. The agriculture minister reached Delhi on 31st December 2020, after which he directly reached the Singhu border at night to participate in the ongoing agitation. The minister also helped the farmers in cooking.

He also assured the farmers that the state government in Jharkhand fully support the farmers protest against the three new farm laws.

07:25 January 02

CITU activists back farmers' protest

CITU activists back farmers' protest

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) activists protest in Siliguri in solidarity with farmers against farm laws in West Bengal.

"We're opposing policies of BJP govt. How the bills were passed has set a dangerous precedent. We'll keep fighting for farmers," said a protester

06:54 January 02

Will have to take firm steps if talks with govt on January 4 fail: Farmer unions

Resolute in their demands for the repeal of three new farm laws and a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops, protesting farmer unions on Friday said they will have to take firm steps if the government does not take a decision in their favour in the next meeting scheduled for January 4.

Addressing a press conference at the Singhu border protest site, farmer leaders warned of multiple actions if their main demands are not met.

They said that only five per cent of the issues raised by them have so far been discussed in meetings with the government.

"If the January 4 meeting with the government fails to end the deadlock, we will announce dates for shutting all malls, petrol pumps in Haryana," farmer leader Vikas told reporters.

Farmers protesting at Shahjahanpur on the Haryana-Rajasthan border will also move towards the national capital, Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav said.

Another leader Yudhveer Singh said that a tractor march will be held on January 6 if no concrete decision is taken in the next round of talks.

After the sixth round of formal negotiations on Wednesday, the government and farm unions reached some common ground to resolve protesting farmers' concerns over rise in power tariff and penalties for stubble burning, but the two sides remained deadlocked over the main contentious issues of the repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee for MSP.

After the talks between three union ministers and a 41-member representative group of thousands of farmers protesting on Delhi borders, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said at least 50 per cent resolution has been reached with mutual agreement on two out of four items on the agenda and discussions would continue on the remaining two on January 4 at 2 PM.

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, are protesting at various borders of the national capital for more than a month against these three new laws.

The government has presented these laws as major agriculture reforms aimed at helping farmers and increasing their income, but the protesting unions fear that the new legislations have left them at the mercy of big corporates by weakening the MSP and mandi systems.

06:52 January 02

Farmer from Baghpat dies at Ghazipur border protest site

Amid freezing temperatures in Delhi and adjoining areas, a farmer from Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh died near Ghazipur border on Friday while protesting against new agricultural laws enacted by the central government.

The farmer, Galtan Singh (57) was a resident of Bhagwanpur Nagal village in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh, said Saurav, an associate of Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, who is leading the farmers from Uttar Pradesh demonstrating at the Ghazipur Border.

"Galtan Singh was in good health and fit and but he suddenly felt uneasy with complaint of chest pains and was taken to the hospital but he died on the way. The body has been sent to his village," said Saurav

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader from Uttar Pradesh Sachin Chaudhary, who has been protesting against the three farm laws at Ghazipur border, said, "Sacrifice of Galtan Singh will not go in vain."

Several farmers have died during the protest to severe cold weather, he added.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) General Secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal said, "The farmers have been protesting at the bordering areas of the national Capital since November 26, 2020, and the death toll of farmers has reached to 43 since then."

The government should listen to those who are ready to sacrifice their lives and repeal the agricultural laws which are anti-farmers, he added.

06:47 January 02

With bonfire and camaraderie, Singhu welcomes 2021

The crowd is more than usual but the diverse collage can easily be broken in one heartbeat. It's the New Year's eve and people from both urban and rural Punjab and Haryana have decided to summon 2021 with the protesting farmers at Singhu and Tikri borders. "At what point in history have we not resisted? For us, it is important to stand with the dissenter, that is part of the Punjabi DNA," Harpreet Kaur from Amritsar, said, negotiating her way through the crowds. Kaur insists that her family no longer owns any land, "But this protest stands for many more things," she says.

With people across generations, with vehicles full of food, blankets and other items arriving at the borders on the last day of 2020 to show solidarity with the protesters even as the latest round of talks resulted in two demands being met by the central government, the stretch occupied at Singhu seems straight out of a textbook version of a rebellion where classes meet on the same road and are not awkward to look into each other's eyes.

Besides the usual slogans damning the establishment and caricatures of ministers fluttering with union flags, the speakers on modified tractors blaring peppy Punjabi numbers are getting all the attention from local kids and photographers. Yes, there is the usual caution while talking to mainstream media, but it has not led to any loss in clarity when it comes to what their future strategy will be.

Besides multiple teams of technicians climbing tall poles to set up wi-fi antennas, the last day of the year also witnessed members of 'Kendri Punjabi Lekhak Sabha' leading a march to the main stage. Malkit Singh from the sabha stresses, "For Punjabi writers, it has always been paramount to remain connected to the issues being faced by the people. Our writings have always reflected ground realities. The new farm laws and their ramifications on the agriculturists concern us, and it is our duty to lend our support."

As the shades of dusk fall and loud music make way for soothing shabds, lyricist and singer Bir Singh from Amritsar, who has worked with the likes of Kailash Kher and Diljit Dosanj, and has been travelling across the state to raise support against the new laws with his songs and music feels that the participation of artists in any kind of protest is bound to lend more gravity to a cause. "Culture always facilitates an emotional connect."

The 'walls' of 'Sanjhi Sath', the debate and library space at the border, where youngsters gather in the evening to listen to elders is alive with paintings and sketches of the protest. "We feel it is important to document this movement. Society and the arts always fuel each other," says a volunteer.

06:46 January 02

Farmers to hold tractor rally on Jan 6 if talks fail

Farmers' organisations under the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, after a meeting at Singhu border, on Friday said that if the talks with the government on January 4 fail then they will intensify the protest and hold a tractor rally on January 6.

"The topics of the next round of talks with the government were discussed in the meeting. The government has agreed to our two demands, but two important demands are yet to be discussed on January 4. If these two demands are not negotiated during the talks with the government, then a tractor rally will be taken out on January 6, " Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) General Secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal said.

Friday marked the 37th day of the farmers' protest against the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Production and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020. The farmers are demanding withdrawal of all the three laws, while the government has agreed to amend the laws as per the suggestions of the farmers. The farmers will be taking up the issue during the 6th round of talks with the government.

The leaders of the farmers' organisations also held talks on four issues with the government on Wednesday, of which the government has accepted two demands while the other two, withdrawal of the three laws and legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP), are still to be addressed.

06:13 January 02

Farmers' Stir LIVE Updates

Farmers' organisations under the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), after a meeting at Singhu border, on Friday said that if the talks with the government on January 4 fail then they will intensify the protest and hold a tractor rally on January 6 on KundliManesar Palwal (KMP) expressway. The farmers' union will also hold a joint press conference on Saturday.

The statement from the SKM said, "If the 6th round talks with the government are not fruitful then the Shahjahanpur border blockage will be moved towards Delhi and 'Desh Jagruti Abhiyan' will be organised from January 6 to 20 across the country."

The SKM had also appealed to the common people to celebrate the New Year with the farmers at the protest site. "The appeal made by the SKM got good response at various borders of the national Capital," the statement said.

A lot of people including farmers across the country also took a pledge to participate in the protest and support the movement.

"Delhi For Farmers" also organised protest in different parts of Delhi from 8 a.m. to late in the evening and farmers from Barnala reached Tikri border on Friday by driving their tractor in reverse gear.

Ex-servicepersons also extended solidarity to the farmers at the Ghazipur border as they celebrated the New Year with them and organised a massive cleanliness drive. Apart from this, Buddhist monks reached in large numbers in support of protesting farmers at the Gazipur border.

Farmers in other parts of the country also organised indefinite dharnas/sit-ins.

The SKM also appreciated the resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly in support of the farmers' movement.