Farmers Protest Updates: Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that the ongoing farmers' protest at Delhi borders is an 'exception' and 'limited to one state'.
Farmers Protest LATEST Updates: BJP chief JP Nadda, meanwhile, said that farmers’ interest is always the top priority for the Narendra Modi government as the agitation against the agricultural laws continued for 21st straight day.
A priest from Haryana's Karnal died by suicide at the Singhu border in Delhi on Wednesday, said reports.
In a handwritten note found near his body, the priest said he was sacrificing his life "to express anger and pain against the government's injustice", as per reports.
Protesting farmer unions said constituting a new panel to break the stalemate on the three new agri laws, as indicated by the Supreme Court, is not a solution as they want a complete withdrawal of the legislations. An RKMS leader told PTI farmers have already rejected a recent government offer to form such a committee while the BKU Ekta Ugrahan said a panel should have been formed before the laws were passed
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court indicated that it may form a panel having representatives of the government and farmer unions to resolve the deadlock.
The ongoing farmers' protest at Delhi borders is an "exception" and "limited to one state", said Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and hoped for an early solution as the government is in talks with farmer unions.
"There is an atmosphere of enthusiasm in the country because of the recent reforms in the farm sector," he said while referring to the enactment of three new legislations.
Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri appealed to protesting farmers to resume talks with the central government to discuss their genuine demands, saying this is not the time to remain adamant. Addressing a virtual 'kisan sammelan', he asserted that the Narendra Modi-led government was taking several steps in the interest of the farming community.
Meanwhile the Delhi Traffic Police said the Tikri and Dhansa borders were closed for any traffic movement.
Addressing a Kissan Sammelan in Gwalior, Narendra Singh Tomar said: "I want to tell protesting farmers that if anyone wrongly tries to tarnish Narendra Modi's image, the govt knows how to give them a befitting reply. You are welcome to talk, but do not spread lies and confusion among the farmers."
The Union agriculture minister reiterated that the laws will be beneficial to farmers and said that they were being misguided.
The Supreme Court issued a notice to the Centre on a batch of petitions seeking removal of farmers camping at several roads near Delhi borders.
The Supreme Court today proposed the formation of a committee with representatives from both the government and farm unions to end the deadlock against the three farm laws.
The Supreme Court directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to form a committee of government representatives and farmers organisations to end the deadlock between the Centre and unions.
“It seems the government may not be able to work this out and it will soon become a national issue," the court observed.
Security arrangements were tightened at the Chilla border between Delhi and Noida on Wednesday as farmer union leaders have threatened to completely block the key border point.
The Supreme Court will hear a plea today seeking immediate removal of protesting farmers who have blocked several border points of Delhi by sitting for agitation on the roads.
The farmers will completely block another key border point - the Chilla Border between Delhi and Noida in Uttar Pradesh - on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference at Singhu Border on Tuesday, farmer leaders said the fight over the new farm laws has reached a stage where they are "determined to win it no matter what".
The farmers also threatened to completely block Delhi-Noida on Wednesday (16 December).
This came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the agriculture reforms are exactly what the farmers’ bodies and the Opposition parties wanted. The prime minister once again reiterated his support for the three contentious farm laws and accused Opposition parties of misleading the protesting farmers.
Modi’s comments came as the protesting farmers camped out near Delhi for the 20th straight day on Tuesday. They remain adamant on the demand that the Centre repeal the three laws. The government has time and again made it clear that would not scrap the farm laws, but is willing to make amendments.
'Will make govt repeal laws'
Hardening their stance on the three new agri laws, farmer leaders Tuesday said they will "make" the government repeal these legislations, and asserted their fight has reached a stage where they are "determined" to win it no matter what.
They said they will completely block the Chilla Border between Delhi and Noida on Wednesday to press for their demands.
Addressing a press conference at Singhu Border, farmer leader Jagjeet Dallewal said, "The government is saying ''we won't repeal these laws'', we are saying we will make you do it."
"The fight has reached a stage where we are determined to win no matter what," he said.
AMU students extend support to protesting farmers
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) students on Tuesday urged President Ram Nath Kovind to intervene in farm laws issue and demanded that the legislations be revoked.
The students also staged a protest and extended their full support to farmers agitating against the laws at various Delhi border points since the last week of November.
AMU students, including former leaders of the students' union, also observed "Black Day" at the campus to mark the same day last year when about 50 students protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) had been injured in police action.
They also held a a candle light march and handed over a memorandum to senior university officials, which was addressed to the President, demanding immediate repeal of the farm laws and the CAA.
