Farmers Protest Live Update: Some opposition MPs create ruckus as FM Nirmala Sitharaman starts Budget speech

Kisan Andolan 2020 Live, Farmers Protest in Delhi Live Updates: Some opposition MPs reportedly from AAP and SAD raised slogans over farmers’ protest as soon as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman began her Budget speech. Hours before budget 2021, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today said that Budget 2021 must support farmers and MSMEs to help generate more employment. The farmers have been protesting at Delhi borders against newly formed farm laws. More and more farmers have poured in at protest sites at Delhi borders with several political parties extending support to the agitation. While Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal met Rakesh Tikait yesterday, leaders from Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal and Samajwadi Party have also extended their support to the farmer unions. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that Agriculture Minister is just a phone call away from farmers, union leaders yesterday said that a respectful solution should be found to the issue. On the other hand, all eyes are on union budget 2021 today as the government may opt for some more pro-farmer initiative amid the ongoing protest. While traffic jams were witnessed at some places in Delhi due to diversion in wake of farmers’ protest, Delhi Metro has also closed the entry/exit gates of some stations including Brigadier Hoshiar Singh, Bahadurgarh City, Pandit Shree Ram Sharma and Tikri Border.

The two-month-long protest against the farm laws appeared to be losing steam after widespread violence during a tractor parade by farmers on the Republic Day, but an emotional appeal by Rakesh Tikait gave it a fresh lease of life. Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and parts of UP have been protesting at Delhi’s borders for over two months now, demanding a rollback of the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. The government has offered some concessions including keeping the new farm laws on hold for 1-1.5 years and the Supreme Court has set up a panel to look into the matter while keeping the contentious legislation in abeyance for two months.