Farmers' protest LIVE: Congress' character has always been anti-farmer, says Narendra Tomar

21:52 December 24

Protesting farmer unions allege that government's latest letter for talks is nothing but propaganda against peasants to create an impression that they are not interested in dialogue and asks it to put scrapping of farm laws in agenda to resume parley

21:52 December 24

Panchayati land will be made available on lease with consent of villagers to promote industrialisation in rural areas: Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala

20:04 December 24

Govt will have to bow down in front of farmers: Jharkhand MLA

In an exclusive interview, Jharkhand MLA Dheeraj Sahu on Thursday sought repeal of the three farm laws, saying that these laws are death warrant for the farmers. 

Sahu said, "Farmers have been protesting for almost a month and their protest has intensified over period of time. If the government will ignore their demands, they will have to bow down in front of the annadattas."

19:36 December 24

Tomar thanks Kisan Sena farmers

I want to thank you all for supporting 3 Farm laws & coming here for a direct dialogue with us. I got to know that Kisan Sena farmers were coming to Delhi to protest in support of Farm Laws, but then upon intervention, you decided to come here & talk to us: Agriculture Minister

19:35 December 24

Two-year old recites poem in solidarity with farmers

A two-year-old child from Thedi village recited a poem in solidarity with the farmers. 

18:04 December 24

Farmers block KMP Highway

Agitating farmers on Thursday blocked Kundli Manesar Palwal (KMP) Highway in Sonipat over three farm laws. Traffic was disrupted and commuters were affected due to long jam

17:52 December 24

Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala says new central farm laws need many amendments and urges protesting farmers to give 'concrete suggestions'

17:52 December 24

Traffic movement from Noida to Delhi hit as hundreds of farmers, who support Centre's new agriculture laws, assemble near Mahamaya Flyover in Noida: Officials

17:51 December 24

Farmer attempts suicide at protest site

A farmer has been hospitalised after he attempted to commit suicide in front of Raipur Press Club on Thursday. According to reports, the farmer attended one of the press conferences in the Club and was upset as its report was not published

17:51 December 24

Farmers block Delhi-Agra Highway

Farmers block Delhi-Agra Highway

Farmers from Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan have blocked Delhi-Agra Highway near Palwal. Rashtriya Kisan Majdoor Mahasangh leader Shiv Kumar Sharma ‘Kakkaji’ is leading the protest 

17:30 December 24

If APMC is good for Kerala, why not for Delhi: BJP to Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi is Wayanad MP. Is there APMC Act in Kerala? If not, then, why don't you stand with farmers there? How is it possible that something is good for Kerala, & not in Delhi? He must clarify where and with what intention he is supporting farmers: BJP MP Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi

17:19 December 24

A copy of the memorandum submitted by the Congress delegation

A copy of the memorandum submitted by the Congress delegation to the President of India, today.

17:15 December 24

Repeal agricultural laws, says opposition parties

We demand that the present Agri Laws be repealed along with the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020. Following this, discussions on agrarian reforms must be held by the Central government with the farmers and all stakeholders: Joint statement by Opposition parties

17:15 December 24

Opposition parties slam PM Modi over farm laws

We register our strong protest against baseless allegations being made by PM accusing opposition parties of “repeatedly lying” to farmers about new farm laws& “using them for their politics”. PM's accusations are a complete travesty of truth: Joint statement by Opposition parties

17:05 December 24

If Rahul Gandhi was so worried, then he could have done something for farmers, when his govt was in power. Congress' character has always been anti-farmer: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi meeting President today over Farm Laws

17:05 December 24

Whatever Rahul Gandhi says, even Congress doesn't take it seriously. Today when he went to register his protest with President with signatures, these farmers told me that no one from Congress came to them to get their signature: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

17:05 December 24

Farmers from Baghpat have given me a letter in support of Centre's Farm Laws. They've told me that govt shouldn't buckle under any pressure to make amendments to Farm bills: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar after meeting Kisaan Mazdoor Sangh members from Baghpat

15:55 December 24

Farmers delegation meets Narendra Singh Tomar

A delegation of 60 farmers belonging to Kisaan Majdoor Sangh, Baghpat met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar at Krishi Bhawan

15:54 December 24

Farmers' organisation writes letters with blood

Yuva Kisan Vijay Hindustani, a group of farmers camped at the protest site, has written a letter with blood and has demanded repeal of the three farm laws. The organisation has given 48 hours deadline to the government to roll back the laws. 

15:50 December 24

Farmers dig Dushyant Chautala's helipad in Uchana

Agitating farmers dug Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala's helipad  in Uchana and shouted slogans against him. Chautala was supposed to visit Uchana but farmers have stated that they will not allow him to enter the village till laws are repealed

14:55 December 24

There is no democracy in India, it is only in imagination, not in reality, alleges Rahul Gandhi after meeting president on farm laws issue

14:53 December 24

Congress leaders meet Prez Kovind, appeal for repeal of farm laws

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad & Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury met the President earlier today & submitted a memorandum containing 2 crore signatures seeking his intervention in farm laws issue.

14:53 December 24

Basketball player Satnam Kumar joins farmers' protest

Basketball player Satnam Singh joined farmers' protest at Singhu border. 

"We stand with farmers. We have come to offer our services so they don't face any problems," he says.

14:28 December 24

Ready to give MSP in writing Centre

Govt writes to agitating farmers, asking them to decide the date and time for the next round of talks. "Govt is committed to reaching logical solutions of the issues raised by you," it reads

14:17 December 24

Ready to give MSP in writing Centre

Ready to give MSP in writing: Centre

In a possible break through in the farmers protest, the Centre on Thursday wrote to Kisan Unions saying it is ready to talk with an open mind.

Giving assurance of maintaining the MSP, the government added that is it ready to give in writing the assurance and added that dialogue is important to come to a solution to the farmers issues.

It also said that the Centre is obligated to listen to the farmers and its their duty to address the grievances. 

12:11 December 24

Haryana Police registers case against farmers for blocking' CM Khattar's convoy

Haryana Police has registered cases against farmers for allegedly blocking Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's convoy in Ambala.

"We have registered cases against 13 farmers under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and have initiated a probe into the matter," said Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Ambala, Madan Lal.

11:08 December 24

Farmers protesting at Delhi borders remain resolute in seeking repeal of new agri laws

Braving harsh cold, thousands of agitating farmers at the Delhi borders on Thursday remained steadfast in their demands to repeal the Centre's three new agri laws.

Dense fog reduced visibility to just 100 metres in parts of Delhi on Thursday, affecting traffic movement, the India Meteorological Department said, adding the minimum temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, settled at 4.5 degrees Celsius.

Security remained tight at the Delhi borders with hundreds of personnel deployed at Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri as thousands of farmers have been staging their protests at the borders for nearly a month now. This has also led to traffic congestion forcing police to divert vehicular movement.

The sixth round of talks on December 9 was cancelled following a deadlock with the farmer unions refusing to budge from their demand for repealing the three laws.

09:36 December 24

Farmers protest against farm laws

New Delhi:Asserting that the ball is in the Centre's court, protesting farmer unions on Wednesday asked it to come up with a new concrete proposal for resumption of talks, even as Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar underscored that dialogue was the only way for a solution and the government was committed to reforms in the farm sector.

As the stalemate between the government and the protesters, who are demanding a repeal of the three new agri laws, continued for day 29th of the protest without any signs of a breakthrough, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to interact on Friday with farmers from six states during which they will share their experience on various initiatives taken by the Centre, in yet another outreach attempt.

Replying to the Centre's offer for talks, the farmer leaders, who have rejected a proposal for amending the agri laws, said that they are waiting for the government to come to the table "with an open mind", adding if it "takes one step, farmers will take two".

"We urge you (government) not to repeat those meaningless amendments that we have already rejected but come up with a concrete proposal in writing that can become an agenda for fresh talks," Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav said while reading out at a press conference the reply sent by the unions to the Centre's letter dated December 20.

He said the government should stop writing "love letters" and instead come up with a "concrete" offer in writing for the talks.

After a meeting of union leaders that lasted for over three hours, farmer leader Shiv Kumar Kakka told reporters that the government should "abandon its stubbornness" and create a conducive environment for talks.

In the reply to Union Agriculture Joint Secretary Vivek Aggarwal, Sankyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 agitating unions, alleged that the government is treating the farmers as its "political opponents".

"Farmer unions are ready to hold talks with the government and that they are waiting for the government to come to the table with an open mind," said Yadav, who is also a member of Morcha.

He alleged that government wants to project that the farmers are not ready to hold talks, and added that the ball is in the government's court as peasants are ready for the same, but only after a concrete proposal.

In the letter to 40 union leaders, Joint Secretary Aggarwal had on Sunday asked protesting farmer leaders to specify their concerns over its earlier proposal of amendments in the laws and choose a convenient date for the next round of talks so that the ongoing agitation could end at the earliest.

The sixth round of talks on December 9 was cancelled following a deadlock with the farmer unions refusing to budge from their demand for repealing the three laws.

Several farmers visited 'Kisan Ghat' here on Wednesday morning to pay tributes to Chaudhary Charan Singh, who was known for his farmer-friendly policies. To mark Kisan Diwas, protesting organisations urged people to skip a meal to express solidarity with their agitation.

Earlier in the day, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the government will continue with reforms in the farm sector as it is committed to strengthening it.

Stressing that a solution can be reached only through dialogue, Tomar said, "History is witness to this fact. However old and strong the protest is, the end and the solution to a protest are reached through dialogue only."

"Farmer unions should discuss the government's draft proposal and inform them if they want to add or delete anything," he said.

"I am fully hopeful that our farmer unions will discuss... If they give a date and time, the government is ready for the next round of talks... I am hopeful that we will move towards resolving the issue," Tomar told reporters.

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.

The government has repeatedly asserted that the MSP and Mandi systems will stay and has accused the opposition of misleading the farmers.

(PTI)