Farmers entered 9th day of protest at Singhu border. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)Farmers Protest Today Live Updates: Farmers at Singhu Border on Friday called for a nationwide protests against the new farmer bills and announced a Bharat Bandh on December 8, after talks between three union ministers and a representative group of agitating farmers failed to yield any resolution on Thursday.
However, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar’s statements hinted that the Modi government could amend three major provisions in the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act. These provisions actually represent the heart of the most contested legislation passed in the last Parliament session. Amendments to them can, thus, tantamount to a virtual rollback of the law. Both the sides have now agreed to meet again on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chadoni said if the Centre does not accept their demands to repeal the laws during Saturday’s talks, they will intensify their agitation and also occupy the toll plazas on that day.
Delhi’s border points remained choked as thousands of farmers from Haryana, Punjab, and other states are holding demonstrations for the ninth consecutive day, today.
Earlier today, a petition seeking immediate removal of the protesting of farmers from Delhi borders was submitted to the Supreme Court on Friday. The plea has sought the apex court directions to the authorities to open the roads at Delhi borders, shift these protestors to allotted place and provide guidelines on social distancing and use of mask at the protest place to contain spread of COVID-19 cases.
In other news, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today spoke to various farmers’ groups protesting at Delhi’s Singhu border and assured them that the TMC stands by them, party leader Derek O’Brien said. Brien, who spent almost four hours with the agitating farmers, facilitated the interactions over the phone.
Farmers gathered at New Delhi's Singhu border.
The farmer unions said the new laws would give “unregulated freedom to corporates”.
Farmer leaders hold a press conference at Singhu Border on Sunday. (Express Photo: Gajendra Yadav)
The Editors Guild of India (EGI) on Friday expressed concerns over the news coverage of the farmers’ protests in Delhi, saying certain sections of the media were delegitimising the stir by labelling them “Khalistanis” and “anti-nationals” without any evidence. This goes against the tenets of responsible and ethical journalism, and such actions compromise the credibility of the media, it said in a statement.
Interstate buses of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) have not been plying since November 27 due to the farmers' protest against the Centre's new farm laws at the borders of the city, a senior official said on Friday. The DTC's interstate services, mainly to Gurgaon and Bahadurgarh, were suspended after the start of the farmers' protest at the borders on November 27, the official said. Due to demonstration by farmers, most borders with other states have been closed for traffic movement. Accordingly some routes have been diverted by the DTC as advised by area Traffic Police, said R S Minhas, deputy chief general manager (PR) of DTC. "The Interstate operation is closed and will be restored after the position normalises," he said. Key routes at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh remained choked as thousands of farmers held demonstrations for the ninth consecutive day against the Centre's farm laws
Traffic moved at snail's pace at several border points of the national capital as police kept key routes connecting Delhi to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh closed in view of the farmers' protest against the new farm laws, which entered its ninth day on Friday.
The Chilla border on the Noida Link road also remained shut for the fourth day on the trot for traffic coming from Noida to Delhi due to the farmers' protest near Gautam Budh Dwar.
Truck carrying supply stood in long queue waiting to cross Mukarba Chowk in New Delhi on Friday. EXPRESS PHOTO BY PRAVEEN KHANNA
As the ongoing Farmers protests enter its ninenth day, Farmers at Singhu Border have announced a Bharat Bandh on December 8
A petition seeking immediate removal of the mass gathering of farmers at Delhi borders has been submitted to the Supreme Court on Friday as the farmers’ ongoing protest entered its 9th day.
According to a report by Bar and Bench, the petition filed by Advocate Om Prakash Parihar states that it is 'necessary to remove the gathering' as the protest is posing a hurdle for accessing emergency medical services needed to curb the spread of COVID-19 and attend to patients in need of medical attention.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday spoke to various farmers' groups protesting at Delhi's Singhu border against the Centre's agriculture reform laws and assured them that the TMC stands by them, party leader Derek O'Brien said. Brien, who spent almost four hours with the agitating farmers, facilitated the interactions over the phone. "The CM spoke to the farmers. Four telephone calls to different groups from Haryana and Punjab, they shared their demands and they were clear that they wanted the farm bills (laws) repealed," O'Brien said. It was a very emotional meeting. The farmers' groups were aware of the laws and knew exactly what they wanted -- the repeal of these laws, O'Brien said. In fact, today, 14 years ago, Banerjee began her hunger strike for the farmers in Singur, he noted.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Friday said the farmers are hoping that the government will meet their demands during the fifth round of talks scheduled on December 5, failing which they will continue their protests against the new farm laws.
"The government and the farmers did not reach any decision during the meeting held on Thursday. The government wants to make amendments to the three laws, but we want the laws to be completely repealed."
"If the government does not agree to our demands, we will continue to protest. We are looking to find out what happens in Saturday's meeting," Tikait told PTI.
Speaking in support of the agitating farmers,former Haryana Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Friday said that Farmers are being insulted. They are being called 'Khalistanis' and 'Congressis'. "Farmers are farmers. They have come here with their valid demands, rising above religion, caste and region. They are here in this cold."
"Haryana govt in bad shape as they made the biggest mistake. Had they not stopped farmers or not used water cannons or not lobbed tear gas shells, they wouldn't have been in problem. Who can stop others from coming to national capital? What Haryana govt did is condemnable," he added.
Former PDP leader Mehbooba mufti on Friday said that farmers protests have brought the central government to its knees. "BJP is scared of peoples power & its why a reign of repression has been unleashed in J&K since Illegal abrogation of Article 370. Not allowing any peaceful medium for dissent shows their nervousness & failure on all fronts," she added.
Former PDP leader Mehbooba mufti on Friday said that farmers protests have brought the central government to its knees. "BJP is scared of peoples power & its why a reign of repression has been unleashed in J&K since Illegal abrogation of Article 370. Not allowing any peaceful medium for dissent shows their nervousness & failure on all fronts," she added.
The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC)has sent a legal notice to actor Kangana Ranaut, seeking an unconditional apology for her "derogatory" tweets against farmers and activists involved in the protest against the Centre's farm laws, the committee's president said on Friday. The Bollywood star, who is known for her combative comments, was also asked to remove the particular tweets. "We have sent a legal notice to @KanganaTeam for her derogatory tweet calling the aged mother of a farmer as a woman available for Rs 100. Her tweets portray farmers protest as anti-national. We demand an unconditional apology from her for her insensitive remarks on farmers protest," Manjinder Singh Sirsa, president of DSGMC, said in a tweet. --PTI
From urging the Centre to rethink its stand on the newly enacted farm laws to calls for repeal of the laws and a short winter session of Parliament to discuss the farmer protests, the Opposition Congress and Trinamool Congress mounted pressure Thursday on the Government to find an amicable solution to the agitation at the gates of Delhi.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi before the start of talks between farmer representatives and Union Ministers, urged the Centre to rethink its stand on the new farm laws. He also appealed to farmers to find an early solution to the problem which, he said, was adversely impacting Punjab's economy and posed a "serious danger to national security". Read more here
If the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar’s statements are any indication, the Narendra Modi government could amend three major provisions in the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act. These provisions actually represent the heart of the most contested legislation passed in the last Parliament session. Amendments to them can, thus, tantamount to a virtual rollback of the law.
The first provision relates to Section 6, which exempts transactions done outside the physical premises of APMC (agricultural produce market committee) mandis from any "market fee or cess or levy" imposed by state governments. Farm unions claim it leads to an unlevel playing field between the APMC mandis and private collection centres or markets created under the new Act. Read our explainer here
The central government Thursday ceded some ground and said it would reconsider certain provisions of the new farm laws, but talks remained inconclusive with representatives of farmer unions sticking to their demand that all three laws be repealed. Both sides, however, agreed to meet again on December 5.
After a seven-hour marathon meeting with 40 representatives of farm organisations, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told reporters, “The discussions took place in a cordial atmosphere. Farm unions leaders put forth their points of objections. The government also presented its views in detail.” Tomar was accompanied by Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Prakash. Read more here
BJP'S COALITION partner JJP on Thursday demanded the withdrawal of cases registered in Haryana against farmers who participated in the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march against the Centre's farm laws.
Talking to mediapersons, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala's younger brother and JJP youth wing leader Digvijay Chautala said, “We request the state government to immediately withdraw all criminal cases that were registered against farmers during their ‘Delhi Chalo’ movement. A delegation of JJP leaders shall soon meet Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Home Minister Anil Vij, and request them to withdraw all such cases.”
While Dushyant continues to maintain silence on the issue, his brother said: “If the three farm legislations cause any adverse impact on MSP, Dushyant Chautala will be the first one to resign.”
The protest against farm laws at Singhu border, and other Delhi borders, comes months after a similar indefinite protest inside the national capital –– the Shaheen Bagh stir against CAA-NRC, which made headlines worldwide and was finally broken up after nearly three months because of Covid-19. There are similarities –– and very crucial differences –– about the atmosphere at the two protest. sites. Read more
Urging the farmers to end their agitation, Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar said: "The govt is holding talks & the issue that will come up during discussion will definitely reach to a solution."
After almost seven hours of meeting, Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar said that the govt is open to consider and discuss issues raised by farmers. He said, "Govt will contemplate about seeing that APMC is further strengthened & its usage increases. New laws lay down provision for pvt mandis outside purview of APMC. So, we'll also contemplate about having an equal tax for pvt as well as mandis under AMPC Act."
The second round of meeting between the Centre and representatives of 35 farmers group has concluded with Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar assuring the farmers that MSP(Minimum Support Price) will not be touched. "No changes will be made to it," said Tomar, who led the meeting with farmers.
The next meeting is scheduled for December 5.