Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates: Agri, Railway Ministers Meet Amit Shah as Day 7 Sees Bigger Stir; Farmer Leader Says 'Only Govt Can Tell When Will Protests End'

What is the Problem in Writing One Line?: Ajay Chautala | As the farmers protest continue against farm laws near Delhi borders, Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janata Party who earlier supported formation of BJP government in Haryana have come out in support of the farmers backing their demand for assurance on MSP for crops. Dushyant’s father Ajay Chautala, said that the centre should consider inclusion of MSPs in farm laws. “What is the problem in writing one line?” the elder Chautala said.

The traffic police said the borders at Tikri, Jharoda and Jhatikra are closed for all kinds of traffic movement. The Badusarai border is open only for two wheelers. Available open borders to Haryana are Dhansa, Daurala, Kapashera, Rajokri NH 8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera, it said. As traffic spilled over to alternate routes, it led to long jams there as well. The protest against the new farm laws is set to continue as talks between three Union ministers and farmer groups ended in a stalemate on Tuesday after they rejected the government's suggestion of a new committee to look into issues raised by agitating farmers.

The Modi government has done what the Congress-led UPA regime’s Economic Survey had recommended. Yet, the grand old party is vociferously opposing the new farm laws.

No Relief from Traffic Chaos in National Capital | There is no relief in sight for commuters, especially office goers, from long traffic snarls on Wednesday as thousands of farmers blocked key entrances to the national capital for the seventh day on the trot. While the police has kept the Haryana-Delhi border at Singhu and Tikri closed for traffic, the protest at Ghazipur, the city's border with Uttar Pradesh, has also intensified. The protest at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border led to the closure of a key route connecting the national capital with the state. The Chilla border on Noida link road is closed for traffic due to farmers' protests near Gautam Budh Dwar.

Narendra Singh Tomar, Piyush Goyal Reache Amit Shah's Residence | Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal reaches Home Minister Amit Shah's residence for meeting on the issue of Farmers.

Centre Should Include MSP: Ajay Chautala | As two independent MLA withdrew their support to the BJP government in Haryana and Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala is yet to speak on the issue, Ajay Chautala expressed concern over farmers' cause. “There are statements by the Agricultural Minister and the PM himself that we will continue MSPs. Then it should be added (in the document). What is the problem in writing one line? We want a solution as early as possible. We have urged government functionaries to resolve the problems of farmers,” Ajay Chautala said expressing concern over farmers sitting on the roads. “The problems of the farmers should be removed with a unanimous resolution. The centre should consider inclusion of MSP in the Act,” he added in a tweet. 

Farmers Continued Sit-in at Noida-Delhi Border | Farmers protesting against the new farm laws continued their sit-in at the Noida-Delhi border for the second day on Wednesday, leading to closure of a key route that connects UP with Delhi. The Noida Traffic Police has advised commuters travelling to Delhi to avoid using the Chilla route and instead take the DND or Kalindi Kunj route. The farmers at the Delhi-Noida border belong to various districts of western Uttar Pradesh and want to reach the national capital to join the bigger stir launched by farmers of Punjab and Haryana against the Centre's agriculture reform laws. 

As two independent MLA withdrew their support to the BJP government in Haryana, the Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala is yet to speak on the issue.

Students from Delhi Varsities Join Farmers' Protest Against | Students from various universities in Delhi on Tuesday joined the farmers protesting at Singhu and Tikri borders and expressed solidarity with them in their fight against the Centre's new farm laws. The protesters part of a student outfit, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan, demanded that three farm legislations should be revoked unconditionally and the BJP government at the Centre should apologise to the people for introducing such "anti-people laws".

What is the Problem in Writing One Line?: Ajay Chautala | As the farmers protest continue against farm laws near Delhi borders, Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janata Party who earlier supported formation of BJP government in Haryana have come out in support of the farmers backing their demand for assurance on MSP for crops. Dushyant’s father Ajay Chautala, said that the centre should consider inclusion of MSPs in farm laws. “What is the problem in writing one line?” the elder Chautala said.

The meeting remained inconclusive with the farmers not on board with the government proposal to form a committee to discuss the issues.

Delhi Border Near Chilla Closed for Traffic | Braving the plummeting temperatures and sleeping in the open, many of them with their children, women from different parts of Punjab have assembled along with thousands of male farmers at Delhi's borders to take on the Centre against its new farm laws. Around 15,000 women, including the elderly, have joined the farmers' agitation against the Centre's agriculture-related laws, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) leader Shingara Singh said on Tuesday. Delhi Traffic Police informed that the chilla border on Noida link road is closed for traffic due to farmers' protests near Gautam Budh Dwar.

Traffic Alert
The chilla border on Noida link road is closed for traffic due to farmers protests near Gautam Budh Dwar. People are advised to avoid Noida link road for going to Noida and use NH 24 and DND instead for Noida.

— Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) December 1, 2020

Trudeau Backs Farmers at Guru Nanak Jayanti Event | Canadian PM Justin Trudeau became the world's first world leader to comment on the ongoing farmers' protests. "Canada will always be there to defend the rights of peaceful protest," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. He backed Indian farmers in his statement adding that the situation in the country is ‘concerning’. During an online event to mark the 551st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, Trudeau said, “The news coming out of India about the protest by farmers. The situation is concerning and we are all very worried about family and friends. I know that's a reality for many of you. Let me remind you, Canada will always be there to defend the rights of peaceful protest.” Read More

Chandrashekar Azad Joins Protesting Farmers | Bhim Army chief Chandrashekar Azad on Tuesday joined the protesting farmers at the Delhi-Ghazipur border along with hundreds of his supporters and demanded that the new farms laws be withdrawn immediately. The Dalit leader from Uttar Pradesh, who launched his political party in March this year, said, "The farmers have been fighting for their rights in this cold. These laws should be withdrawn immediately." "We extend our full support to our farmers. We are with them in this fight," he said. Even as farmers of Punjab and Haryana continued to rally at Singhu and Tikari border entry points, scores of Uttar Pradesh farmers gathered at Ghazipur on the Delhi-Ghazipur border on Sunday morning in their bid to enter the national capital.

Farmers Should Flag Specific Issues in Laws: Agriculture Minister | As a meeting with representatives of protesting farmers remained inconclusive, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said they have been asked to come with specific issues in the new farm laws and the government is ready to discuss and address their concerns. The government had called a meeting with 35 representatives of agitating farmers at Vigyan Bhawan hereafter large-scale protests by various farmer groups, including from Punjab and Haryana, entered its sixth day on various borders of the national capital. "We had a detailed discussion. We will again meet on December 3. We suggested to them to form a small committee, but they said they all will be present in the meeting. So, we agreed to that," Tomar said.

The farmers rejected the government’s offer to set up an expert committee to discuss the new laws, which deregulate crop pricing, even as agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar appealed for an end…

"The farmer's organisations rejected the government's proposal to form a five-member committee to look into the issues related to the new farm laws," Roopsingh Sanha, member of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), said. Sanha said he was informed about the stand taken by the representatives at the meeting by the farmer union's president Joginder Singh Ugrahan over the phone. It is one of the largest blocks of farmers who have been protesting against the new laws.

Farmers and Govt to Meet Again on Thursday | The Centre failed to break a deadlock over controversial new farm laws at a meeting with leaders of protesting farmer unions on Tuesday, with the latter saying their demonstrations will continue as will their blockades of key highways that lead to Delhi. The farmers rejected the government’s offer to set up an expert committee to discuss the new laws, which deregulate crop pricing, even as agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar appealed for an end to agitation and invited the farmers for further discussions on Thursday.

Jharoda Border Connecting Delhi with Jhajjar Closed | The Jharoda border which connects Delhi with Jhajjar-Bahadurgarh was closed by the Delhi Police for traffic movement and the commuters were suggested to take alternative routes. A senior police officer said, "We received inputs that some farmer groups may try to block the road, so as a preventative measure, we have closed the Jharoda border to avoid any untoward incident." "We have also enhanced our security arrangements at the border with multiple barricades. At present, the situation is under control and there are no protestors at this border point." The officer added that Jhatikra border which connects Delhi with Gurgoan has also been closed after the farmers threatened to block the entry points to Delhi but there are no protestors here.

North Railways Cancels Few Trains | Due to the agitation of the farmers, some trains run by Northern Railway have been cancelled or short terminated or diverted. The 09613 Ajmer-Amritsar express special train journey commencing on December 2 will remain cancelled. Also, Dirugarh-Amritsar express special train commencing on December 3 will remain cancelled.

Traffic Movement Between UP-Delhi Closed | Yesterday afternoon, hundreds of farmers gathered at the Noida and Delhi border on Tuesday, stopping traffic movement on a key route connecting Uttar Pradesh with the national capital, officials said. "The Chilla border that links Delhi to UP through Noida has been closed. Those drivers who want to go to Noida can take U-turn from under the Ghazipur-Akshardham flyover and also through Sarai Kale Khan," the Delhi Traffic Police tweeted. Its Noida counterpart also took to Twitter to caution commuters. Later, two more border points connecting the national capital with Gurgaon and Jhajjar-Bahadurgarh were also closed as precautionary measures. On Sunday, the protesting farmers had threatened to block five border entry points of the national capital.

Talks Yield No Results | The protest by farmers at the Delhi border points entered the sixth day and is set to continue as the critical talks between three Union ministers and farmer groups ended in a stalemate on Tuesday after they rejected the government's suggestion of a new committee to look into issues raised by agitating farmers. The two sides, however, decided to meet again on Thursday. Earlier in the day, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekar Azad joined the protesting farmers at the Delhi-Ghazipur border along with hundreds of his supporters and demanded that the new farms laws be withdrawn immediately.

Delhi's Borders Remain Under Police Deployment | Delhi's border points were under heavy police deployment on Tuesday with concrete barriers and multilayered barricades put in place as farmers agitating against the Centre's new agri laws blocked the Delhi-Noida border. Two more border points connecting the national capital with Gurgaon and Jhajjar-Bahadurgarh were closed as precautionary measures, leading to heavy traffic jams in several parts of the city. With this, in total five border points, including Singhu and Tikri, have been closed due to the protest.