Farmers block part of Delhi-Jaipur highway; hunger strike tomorrow: Top developments

NEW DELHI: The farmers continued their protest on Sunday for the 18th day seeking a repeal of the three farm laws passed by the government.
The protesting farmers today declared a wider day-long movement after 'Bharat Bandh' called earlier this month, urging its leaders to undertake a hunger strike on Monday from wherever they are protesting.
Meanwhile, the Union home minister Amit Shah held discussions on the farmers' issues with Punjab BJP leaders today at his residence.
The agitation is on as five rounds of talks between the government and the farmers so far remained inconclusive. Here are the top developments of the day:
Heads of all protesting farmer unions to be on hunger strike on Monday against agri laws
The hunger strike between 8 am to 5 pm on Monday is part of the farmers' plan to intensify their agitation from December 14, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni said today. Addressing a press conference at Singhu border, where the farmers have been camping in agitation, Chaduni said the leaders will observe the hunger strike at their respective places.
Farmers protest: Live updates
Farmers sit in protest on a side of Delhi-Jaipur nation highway as Haryana cops put up barricades
Farmers from Rajasthan and some other places gathered in large numbers on the Haryana-Rajasthan border near Rewari for their march towards Delhi and sat in protest on side of the Delhi-Jaipur national highway as the Haryana police put up barricades to stop their onward march. Rewari's Superintendent of Police Abhishek Jorwal told reporters at the site that district authorities had imposed Section 144 of the CrPC banning assembly of five or more people.
Shah, Tomar discuss farmers issues with Punjab BJP leaders
As the Centre's talks with protesting farmers continue to be stalled, Union home minister Amit Shah held discussions on the farmers' issues with Punjab BJP leaders today in the presence of agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar. At the nearly 40-minute meeting at Shah's residence, the situation in Punjab and steps to tackle the protest that farmers plan to intensify in the coming days were also discussed.
Security up in Gurugram as farmers stopped on Haryana-Rajasthan border
Security in Gurugram district was beefed up today with the deployment of more police, rapid action force and paramilitary personnel even as hundreds of farmers from Rajasthan were stopped on the Haryana-Rajasthan border the previous night. Sources said that more police personnel than farmers were seen deployed at the Rajasthan-Haryana border falling in Gurugram district on Sunday.

Modi govt to deal sternly with 'Tukde Tukde gang' trying to take advantage of farmers stir: Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar Prasad stated that stern action will be taken against nation breakers "Tukde Tukde Gang" trying to take advantage of farmers movement against the new farm laws. The Union Minister for Law and Justice made the assertion while launching Bihar BJPs state-wide "Kisan Chaupal Sammelan" (farmers conference) in support of the three agricultural Acts at Tekbigha village in Bakhtiarpur assembly constituency of Patna district.
Chidambaram slams Centre over issue of farmers' protest
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram slammed the Central government and alleged that some of its Ministers had alluded to the presence of "separatist" elements in ongoing farmers' protest against the agriculture reforms. "Ministers have described the protesters against the Farm Laws as Khalistanis; agents of Pakistan and China; Maoists; and, the latest, tukde tukde gang," the Congress leader tweeted. "If you exhaust all these categories, it means there are no farmers among the thousands of protesters. If there are no farmers, why is the government talking to them?" he asked in a subsequent tweet.

AAP workers to fast tomorrow, showing solidarity with protesting farmers
Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Gopal Rai today said the workers of the ruling Aam Admi Party (AAP) will observe a fast on Monday, showing solidarity with the farmers protesting against the three recently passed farm laws. "The AAP has decided that its party workers will observe fast to protest against the farm laws at the party headquarters in ITO area. The MLAs and councillors will lead the group fasting from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm," said Rai while addressing media in Delhi.
We can only request govt to take back farm laws, says farmer leader Kuldeep Singh
As the farmer protest along the borders of Delhi continues, farmer leader Kuldeep Singh request the government to take back these laws. The farmer leader said, "People not only from India but across the world have come here to support us. We can only request the government to take back these laws. I believe that the central government is trying to lay down a trap. Sometimes, they say it is the agenda of the Congress party, sometimes they say that we are Khalistanis, sometimes they say we are Naxalites and so on."
Punjab DIG Prisons resigns in support of farmers' protest
In solidarity with farmers protesting against the new farm laws at the gates of Delhi, Lakhminder Singh Jakhar, Punjab Deputy Inspector General (Prisons), on Saturday resigned from the service. The DIG said that being the "son of a farmer", he "cannot be blind towards the next farming community".
Govt's door is always open for farmers, ready for talks: Javadekar
On the 18th day of farmers' protest on different border of the national capital, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said the government's door is always open for farmers and it is ready to discuss their issues. The minister expressed his view while talking to media at his residence ahead of farmers' 'hunger strike' announcement for December 14 at Singhu border -- one of the key agitation spots at Delhi-Chandigarh route where thousands of farmers are sitting under open skies braving chilly winter nights.
MP govt blames Congress as few state farmers join Delhi agitation
Even as the protests by farmers in Madhya Pradesh is not quite visible as compared with other states, the state government has been accusing the opposition Congress of "misleading" the peasants on the issue. As small farmers in Madhya Pradesh have been confined to their villages during the agitation against the three new farm laws, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government is assuming that there is no resentment among the farmers.
Punjab CM hits out at Delhi CM Kejriwal for 'exploiting farmer stir'
Captain Amarinder Singh attacked his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal for "exploiting" the ongoing agitation of the farmers to "further his party's petty electoral agenda with blatant lies and brazenly false propaganda". "In sharp contrast to the Kejriwal government in Delhi, which had been thriving on corporate houses' crumbs, the Punjab government had neither signed any agreement with Adani Power nor was even aware of the private players bidding for power purchase in the state," said the CM, in a hard-hitting reaction to the latest campaign by the AAP in Punjab.
(with inputs from agencies)