22:45 January 15
There will be consequences of farm protests, Pawar warns Centre
NCP President Sharad Pawar said, "The farmers are protesting in such cold. Protesters have occupied a 5-kilometre stretch. They are firm on their demands. It was required of any sensible government to understand the sentiments of the farmers. But it didn't happen, so there will be consequences of the same."
22:38 January 15
'Government's stance in today's talks remained same as usual'
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Abhimanyu Kohar, the leader of the National Farmers' Federation, said that the government's stance in today's talks also remained the same.
"On January 17, there will be a meeting of all the stakeholders involved in the protest after which a decision will be taken on the proposed tractor parade," he said.
22:35 January 15
Congress' protest on farm law 'political hypocrisy': Rajasthan BJP chief
Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia said the Congress is shrinking across the country and using the state to save its credibility. His comments were in reaction to a sit-in staged by Congress workers here against recent farm laws of the Centre and the rising fuel prices.
Describing it as "political hypocrisy", Poonia said the frustration of power slipping out of the Congress's hand is visible on the faces of its leaders, adding that "they should get used to sit in the opposition".
21:16 January 15
Not just farmers, students join farmers protest too
At Ghazipur border where tens of thousands of people are protesting against the three farm laws, it isn’t just farmers or those with a farming background but a number of students have also joined the protesters.
Students were seen sitting in a tractor trolley and preparing for their board examinations.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, students said that it has become tough for them to study at home as their family members are in the protest.
"We don't have any option than to prepare for our board exams sitting here at the protest site," said one of the students.
19:07 January 15
Govt hopeful of resolving deadlock with farmers in next meeting, says Tomar
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the government is hopeful of discussions with farmers reaching some decisive stage at the 10th round of talks on January 19.
"We are fully committed to the Supreme Court's order and welcome their judgment. The government will present its side before the court-appointed panel when invited," he added.
18:56 January 15
Farmers want nothing but to repeal the laws: Yudhveer Singh
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Yudhveer Singh, National General Secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Union said that the deadlock between the government and farmers continues.
"The government wants a point-wise discussion on the laws whereas we want nothing but to repeal the laws. Farmer leaders clearly stated that the laws should be repealed as they won't discuss on anything else," he added.
18:37 January 15
SC to take up pleas connected to farm laws on Monday
The Supreme Court is likely to hear on Monday the pleas challenging the three farm laws and also the pleas seeking the removal of farmers camping at various Delhi borders.
18:36 January 15
Govt wants farmer unions to form informal group to prepare concrete proposals: Tomar
Urging farmer unions to form an informal group among themselves to prepare concrete proposals to be discussed in the next meeting, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that detailed discussions took place at the ninth round of talks but could not reach a decisive stage.
17:46 January 15
Won't go to SC-appointed committee, talks with govt to continue: Tikait
Rakesh Tikait, BKU spokesperson said, "Our demands of repealing of the three farm laws and MSP guarantee remain. We will not go to the Committee constituted by the Supreme Court. We will talk to the central government only."
17:45 January 15
Talks with farmers not decisive: Tomar
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, "Today's talks with farmer unions were not decisive. We will hold talks again on 19th January. We are positive to reach a solution through talks. The government is concerned about the farmers protesting in cold."
17:04 January 15
Meeting concludes, next round of talks on Jan 19
The ninth round of talks between farmers and the central government ended inconclusively. Next round of talks will be held on January 19.
16:13 January 15
Government welcomes SC order regarding farmers' agitation: Tomar
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, "Government welcomes the Supreme Court order regarding the farmers' agitation. The government will put forth its views before the committee (appointed by the court). The MSP Guarantee Act will be discussed after the break as we are trying to resolve the issue through dialogue."
16:08 January 15
Point-wise discussion between farmers, govt on farm laws
The ninth round of talks between the Protesting Farmer Unions and the government is going on at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
Since the Supreme Court already ordered to put the implementation of three farm laws on hold, the government now offered to discuss point-wise the issues which the farmer unions have with the newly enacted farm laws.
14:45 January 15
Narendra Modi does not respect farmers, says Rahul Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi said the three farm laws have been brought to "finish the farmers".
"If we don't stop this now, it will continue to happen in other sectors too. Narendra Modi does not respect the farmers. The farmers will neither deter nor fear," he said.
14:44 January 15
Farmer leaders break for lunch at Vigyan Bhavan
The talks between farmer leaders and the government at Vigyan Bhawan temporarily halted for the lunch break.
14:09 January 15
Farmers will withdraw proposed R-Day procession if SC orders: BKU spokesperson
Ahead of the ninth round of talks between the government officials and the farmers at Vigyan Bhavan here on Friday, the national spokesperson of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Rakesh Tikait on Friday said the farmers would withdraw the Republic Day tractor parade if the Supreme Court orders. In response to the proposed procession to be held by the farmers on Republic Day, Tikait said,
"If the SC will order, farmers would not hold the proposed parade on Republic Day." "We would conduct the rally on some different day," he further added.
14:08 January 15
9th round of meeting between govt, farmer leaders underway
The ninth round of talks between Centre and representative of farmer unions protesting on Delhi borders against the three newly passed farm laws began at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi on Friday. Ahead of the meeting, Rakesh Tikait, spokespersons of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BHU) reiterated that to resolve the issues of protesting farmers, the government will have to repeal the three newly passed laws.
"Government needs to devise a plan to scrap the three laws and give legal guarantee for minimum support price," said Tikait. Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh welcomed Supreme Court ruling on farmers' agitation and though the government is still trying to solve the issues with dialogue, however, it will present its case before the court-mandated committee when summoned by it.
13:54 January 15
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra along with party workers head towards Raj Niwas, Civil Lines for gherao in protest against the three farm laws. BJP govt will have to withdraw farm laws; Congress will not relent till these laws are repealed: Rahul Gandhi
12:33 January 15
If Centre is adamant, we'll come out in 15 minutes: Tikat
Ahead of the commencement of the ninth round of talks between farmer leaders and the Centre here on Friday, farmer leader Rakesh Tikat warned that they would walk out of the meeting in case the government remained stuck on its earlier position on the three farm laws.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Tikat, who reached Vigyan Bhavan where the meeting has already begun, said earlier in the day: "If the government is afraid of fulfilling the demands of the farmers on the central farm laws, there is no use of continuing the dialogue."
The farmer leaders are meeting Union Ministers involved in the parleys for the first time after the Supreme Court constituted a four-member committee of experts to address the demands of farmers.
The farmers are demanding the repeal of The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Price Assurance and Agricultural Services Agreement Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 as well as a legal guarantee for the procurement of crops at MSP.
12:05 January 15
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar reaches Vigyan Bhawan to hold talks with farmer leaders over farm laws.
11:32 January 15
Farmer leaders reach Vigyan Bhawan to hold ninth rounds of talks with the Central government over the new farm laws. "Govt needs to devise a plan to scrap the three laws and give legal guarantee for MSP," says BKU Spokesperson Rakesh Tikait.
10:58 January 15
Farmers protest continue, group of farmers hold shirt less march at the protest site
10:57 January 15
Eighty-six-year-old Jagbir Chaudhary, unable to remain idle, has been stitching hats for the farmers at the protest sites braving the chilling cold. Chaudhary has been making hats ever since Bhartiya Kisan Union was formed and this responsibility was given to him by then-president of the organisation Mahendra Singh Tikait.
10:56 January 15
A delegation of farmers' leaders leaves the Singhu border to hold talks with the Centre over three farm laws. The Union Government will hold the eighth round of talks with the protesting farmers today.
10:48 January 15
We’ll not go back empty-handed: Farmers' Union
10:45 January 15
Since protesting farmers have announced not to appear before the committee, there is no point in being part of it: Bhupinder Singh Mann, Chairman of All India Kisan Coordination Committee, on his decision to recuse himself from 4-member committee appointed by Supreme Court
07:02 January 15
Congress to gehrao Raj Bhavans across country, Rahul Gandhi to lead protest in Delhi
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi is set to lead a march to the Governor House in the national capital on Friday, as part of the party's nationwide agitation to express solidarity with the ongoing farmers protest against the three new farm reform laws. The party is observing a 'Kisan Adhikar Divas' today and all state units have been asked to gherao all Raj Bhavans in states.
06:30 January 15
Farmers' Stir LIVE Updates
The ninth round of talks between the government and protesting farmer unions will take place on Friday as scheduled. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the Centre is looking forward to positive discussions with the farmers.
Tomar said the government is ready to hold discussions with farmer unions leaders with an open mind.
Earlier, talks between the farmer unions and the government did not make much headway in breaking the deadlock.
Also, earlier this week the Supreme Court-appointed a four-member expert panel to hear farmers' grievances.
However, a key member of this proposed committee subsequently recused himself. In this backdrop, Tomar said the talks between the government and the farmer union representatives will take place as scheduled on January 15 at Vigyan Bhavan.
Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal) general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal, who is part of the farmers' delegation, said the farmer unions will hold discussions with the government on Friday as scheduled.
When queried on the main point of discussion during the talks, Lakhowal replied that farmers have two demands, the first is the repeal of the three farm laws, once this is met then the farmers will place their second demand.
However, farmer unions have consistently maintained that they won't appear before the court-appointed panel, as the members favour the laws.
The three controversial laws are the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.
Earlier today, Bhartiya Kisan Union president Bhupinder Singh Mann said he is recusing himself from the four-member committee.
Expressing gratitude to the Supreme Court for nominating him on the panel, Mann said he would give up any position to prevent farmers' interests from being compromised.
In a statement, he said that in view of the prevailing sentiments and apprehensions amongst the farm unions and the public in general, he is ready to sacrifice any position so as to not compromise the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country.
"I am recusing myself from the committee and I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab," Mann added.
On Tuesday, the top court had stayed the implementation of the three farm laws until further orders.
In order to resolve the impasse, the top court also appointed a four-member expert panel, which had been tasked to submit its report before the court within two months.
Apart from Mann, Shetkari Sanghatana (Maharashtra) president Anil Ghanwat, International Food Policy Research Institute's Pramod Kumar Joshi and agricultural economist Ashok Gulati have been appointed by the apex court on the expert panel.
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, have been agitating at various Delhi borders since the last week of November.