Farmers' Protest News Highlights:The 'Delhi Chalo' farmers' protest at border points of New Delhi has entered the 27th day today. Agitating farmers have claimed that there is nothing new in the Centre's latest letter to them seeking a date for the next round of talks, as they held a day-long 'relay' hunger strike at all protest sites on Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to press their demand for the repeal of the agri reform laws. The farmer leaders are expected to meet today to discuss the next plan of action, Gurmeet Singh of Krantikari Kisan Union said, amid efforts by the unions to draw support from farmers in other states like Bihar for their demand to enact a law assuring Minimum Support Price. Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, are staging a sit-in protest along Delhi borders. The farmers are demanding a complete rollback of the new farm reform laws and a guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system being retained. Multiple rounds of talks between the Centre and the farmers’ union leaders have ended in a stalemate. Protesting farmers fear that the new laws will dismantle the MSP system and corporatise farming.
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Congress MLAs walk out of Uttarakhand assembly over farm laws
The Opposition Congress on Tuesday staged a walkout from the Uttarakhand Assembly in protest against the Centre’s new farm laws, saying they were meant to destroy farmers.
The Congress MLAs walked out when state Agriculture Minister Subodh Uniyal accused the party of being hand in glove with middlemen and fomenting the agitation to retrieve its lost political ground.
The Congress members led by Leader of Opposition Indira Hridayesh rose from their seats in protest when Uniyal said they did not seem to have read the new farm laws thoroughly and their party was misleading farmers to suit its own political ends.
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Kerala Governor says 'no' to special assembly session for passing resolution against Central farm laws
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Tuesday declined approval for a special session of the state assembly to discuss and pass a resolution against the three contentious central farm laws, against which farmers have been protesting near Delhi, assembly sources said.
The session would not be held on Wednesday, as proposed by CPI-M led LDF government, since the Governor did not accord sanction, the sources told PTI.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Narendra Singh Tomar says hopeful of protesting unions resuming talks with govt soon
As farmers'agitation against three farm laws entered its 27th day, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Tuesday he is hopeful that protesting unions would soon complete their internal discussions and resume talks with the government to resolve the crisis.
He met two more peasants'' bodies from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh that extended support to the legislations.
"Representatives of different farmers'' bodies had come to tell that the laws are good and are in the interest of farmers. They had come to urge the government not make any amendments to the laws," Tomar said after meeting the two groups.
"I am hopeful they (protesting farmers'' unions) will soon complete their internal discussions and come forward for talks. We will be able to find a solution successfully," the minister said.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Road traffic disrupted amid demonstration by farmers supporting new agri laws
Hundreds of vehicles queued up on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway on Tuesday due to a demonstration by a group of farmers who came out on the road in support of the new agri laws, officials said.
The protestors, mainly residents of Jewar and Dadri in Greater Noida, were allegedly stopped by police at Mahamaya Flyover, the officials said.
Normal traffic movement on the Greater Noida-Noida route was restored after a disruption that lasted around three hours, they said.
"Normal traffic movement has resumed at the stretch near Mahamaya Flyover after a brief disruption,” a Noida Traffic Police official said.
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Protesting farmers show black flags to Haryana CM in Ambala
A group of farmers protesting against the Centre''s new agri laws on December 22 showed black flags to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar when his convoy was passing through Ambala City, sources said.
Some of the farmers allegedly tried to block Khattar''s motorcade but police managed to provide a safe passage to the chief minister, sources said.
Khattar had come to Ambala to address public meetings in support of party''s mayoral and ward candidates for the upcoming civic bodies polls.
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CPI(M) on Tuesday alleged thatTamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami was supporting the 'anti-people' policies of the Centre, like the farm laws, to save his government and post.The CM should have opposed the three 'anti-farmer' laws, which also deprive the rights of the state, for the benefit of lakhs of farmers in Tamil Nadu, the party's state secretary K Balakrishnan told reporters here.
He said the AIADMK government was silent on the issue of the Centre trying to 'impose' Hindi and Sanskrit on the people, neglecting the Tamil language.Balakrishnan said 10,000 teams of workers would go on a door to door campaign from December 25 to explain the 'wrong policies' of the NDA government, which, he said, would affect all sections of society.
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The government on Tuesday appealed to farmers to hold further talks to break a nearly month-long deadlock over their demand for the repeal of agricultural reform laws, but farmers' leaders declined to relent unless these laws are withdrawn. "We assure our farmers that we'll listen to them with an open mind," Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Tuesday.
The government was "open" to amend the new laws, Tomar told foreign journalists. He, however, declined to say whether the government could consider withdrawal of these laws as demanded by protesters. Urging India's diaspora to help the government to convince farmers, Tomar said new policy changes would make agriculture more attractive for farmers. Protesters have been getting support from tens of thousands of overseas Indians mainly from Punjab, who have organised demonstrations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia in support of the protests.
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Delhi: Chilla border is closed for traffic coming from Noida & Gaziabad to Delhi because of farmer protests, say Delhi Traffic Police
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | AITUC members to skip lunch on Wednesday in support of farmers' protest:
The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and its associate unions will observe December 23 as "Skip Lunch" day to express solidarity with the relay hunger strike by farmers. "AITUC Unions to observe 23rd December as 'Skip Lunch' day to express solidarity with the relay hunger strike by the joint front of Kisan organisations," said Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary, AITUC in a statement issued on Tuesday.According to the statement the central government is trying to sidestep the genuine demands of the farmers, the demands which are not only in the interest of farmers but are in the interest of the public at large and of course in national interest.
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A group of farmers on Tuesdaystaged a protest outside the office of Mumbai suburban district collector over their demand for withdrawal of the Centre's three new farm laws. The protesters claimed the new laws would only benefit big corporates rather than the farmers. "We want farmer-friendly laws," one of the protesters said.
The protest was supported by the 'Prahar' organisation, headed by Maharashtra minister Bacchu Kadu. A group of farmers from the state has already left forDelhi to support the peasants who are protesting at borders of the national capital since November 26.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Faridkot farmer cycles 400 km to reach Tikri border with poem of 'Pash':
Armedwith hope and a revolutionary poem by noted Punjabi poet 'Pash', a farmer cycled nearly 400 km fromFardikotto theTikriborder here to join the massive protest by peasants against the new farm laws.Wearing akurta-pyjamawith a sleeveless warm jacket and sporting a bright green turban, PalSandhu, a resident ofRameanavillage inFaridkotdistrict of Punjab, on Monday listened intently to the speeches made by farmer leaders at the protest site near theDelhi-Haryanaborder.
His cycle, a new model decked up withcardboardsdisplaying the poem 'Sab TonKhatarnak' (the most dangerous )inPunjabibyAvtarSinghSandhuor 'Pash' as the revolutionary was famously known, attracted the attention of protesters and passers-by, many of whom took pictures with him."I felt restless back home," the 45-year-old said."I could not control myself after knowing about the condition of my fellow farmers who are braving the chilling winter and so many difficulties for a common goal. My brother had come a few days ago in a tractor-trolley, which is parked at theTikriborder protest site. I decided to leave too and rode till here on a bicycle,"SandhutoldPTI.
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The Shiv Sena on Tuesday wonderedwhat will be the outcome of the ongoing farmers' protest after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited a gurdwara and sought inspiration from Guru Tegh Bahadur, whose followers are among those protesters. An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' was referring to Modi's visit on Sunday to Gurdwara Rakabganj in Delhi where he paid tributes to Guru Tegh Bahadur for his supreme sacrifice.
The editorial in the Marathi daily said farmers from Punjab did not flinch even when Modi reached the gurdwara, "turning his back towards the Sikh peasants protest", and continued with their demonstration. "Prime Minister Modi sought inspiration from Guru Tegh Bahadur. Happy about it. Thousands of Sikh fighters are also fighting (protesting) from the same inspiration near Delhi border. Hence, it is a question what will be the outcome of the battle," the editorial said.
It said 'gurbani' was being played when the prime minister reached the gurdwara. (PTI)
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The government is ready to hold further talks with farmers protesting for the repeal of agricultural reform laws, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has been urging the farmers to engage in talks to end the deadlock over the three reform laws introduced in September but the farmers will not relent on their demands, saying the laws would hit them economically while benefiting big retailers."We assure our farmers that we'll listen to them with an open mind," Tomar told foreign journalists.
Read: Government ready for talks with protesting farmers: Narendra Singh Tomar
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In his address at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Politics can wait, but development cannot". Without naming anyone, he said development should not be seen through the political prism."People spreading negativity can be seen everywhere," he said without elaborating. His remarks assume significance in the background of the nearly month-long farmers' protest against three farm laws enacted by the Centre. "There is need to have a common ground to build a new india, that (ground) is Atmanirbhar Bharat, he said.
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The farmer protests have been going on for nearly a month now. Farmers haven’t accepted the government’s assurance for continuing with the minimum support price (MSP) system and are demanding a complete repeal of the farm laws. Is there scope for a middle path? Supporters of farm reforms argue that these reforms will lead to higher marketing efficiency and environmental sustainability. Farmers, on the other hand, say the new laws will heighten risks of income instability, and may result in social and economic disruption (or destruction) for them.
We need to remember two things: (i) that it is not the APMC’s efficient functioning per say but government’s MSP operations that have boosted incomes of Punjab (and Haryana) farmers and (ii) on a per hectare basis, Bihar generates greater incomes than Punjab. About 30 and 65 percent of rice and wheat required for distribution under the Public Distribution System (PDS) is procured from Punjab and Haryana under the MSP regime. Over the years, government has expanded its MSP operations in other states and as per a NSSO survey report, 6 to 19 percent of Indian farmers benefit from them.
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Owing to ongoing agitation, the Delhi Traffic Police said the Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, and Mangesh borders are closed. It advised commuters to take alternative routes through the Lampur, Safiabad Saboli and Singhu school toll tax borders. Police said that as traffic has been diverted from Mukarba and the GTK road, people are suggested to avoid Outer Ring Road, the GTK road and National Highway (NH) 44.
Those travelling to Haryana can go through the Jharoda (only single carriageway), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH-8, Bijwasan-Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera borders.According to the traffic police, Tikri and Dhansa borders are also closed for traffic but the Jhatikara border was open only for two-wheelers and pedestrians.At the Chilla border, the Delhi to Noida carriageway is open for traffic. The Noida to Delhi carriageway is, however, closed. The Ghazipur border was also closed for traffic movement.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Farmer union leaders to meet, discuss plan of action:
Farmer leaders are expected to meet today to discuss a plan of action as thousands gathered at protest sites on Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to press for the repeal of the new agri laws brace the cold wave sweeping through the national capital.Efforts are underway by the unions to draw support from farmers in other states like Bihar for their demand to enact a law assuring Minimum Support Price as the protest at the border points have been going on for almost four weeks now.
On Monday, the farmers held a relay hunger strike at various protest sites in batches of 11. In the letter to 40 union leaders, the Joint Secretary in the Union Agriculture Ministry, Vivek Aggarwal, on Sunday asked them to specify their concerns over its earlier proposal of amendments in the laws and choose a convenient date for the next round of talks so that the ongoing agitation could end at the earliest. The sixth round of talks on December 9 was cancelled following a deadlock with the farmer unions refusing to budge from their demand for repealing the three laws. Conitnue reading...
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Scrapping laws after protests will hurt democracy, says Ramdas Athawale:
Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday said if the Centre starts withdrawing laws passed inParliament bowing to protests, then the parliamentary democracy and the Constitution "would be in danger". Talking to reporters here, Athawale, whose Republican Party of India(A) is a constituent of the NDA, also expressed confidence that the BJP will win more than 200 seats in the forthcoming West Bengal Assembly elections and form the next government in that state.
To a question on the ongoing farmers' protest at Delhi borders over their demand for a repeal of the Centre's threenew farm laws, Athawale said the demand is "illegitimate". "The law has been passed by majority in Parliament. If such laws are withdrawn because there are protests against it, then it would be a precedent for every law passed on the floor of the House, which will put the Constitution and parliamentary democracy in danger," he said. Athawale said farmers should accept the compromiseformula suggested by the central government.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Govt aims to double farm mechanisation in next 10 years, says Narendra Tomar:
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday said the government is focusing on farm mechanisation and asked the industry to provide small machines and equipment to farmers with less landholding to boost their income. The minister was speaking at the annual general meeting of Tractor and Mechanization Association on Monday.
Tomar talked about the government's target to double farm mechanization per hectare in 10 years and said it was only possible with the support from industry, CII said in a statement. The government's emphasis is on providing large advanced agricultural equipment to farmers for their field, the minister said. He urged the members of the association to provide small utility machines to small acreage farmers, so that 86 per cent of these farmers can acquire machines easily and their income can increase, the statement added. Tomar highlighted the various measures taken by the government during the last six years for the growth of the agriculture sector and augment farmers income.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Rakesh Tikait, Spokesperson, Bhartiya Kisan Union:
We have not received any meeting invitation from Agriculture Minister yet. Farmers have decided they won't go back till govt takes back all three farm laws. It will take more than a month to resolve all issues. The government will come to us
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A Bharatiya Kisan Union faction on Monday demanded a new law for punishing those who buy farmers' crops at rates below the minimum support price. The BKU (Lok Shakti) raised the new demand over and above the farmers' existing demand to repeal the three recent farm laws of the Centre. The BKU (Lok Shakti) activists are presently camping at the Dalit Prerna Sthal near here, while those of the BKU (Bhanu) are on an indefinite sit-in at the Delhi-Noida's Chilla border since the first week of December in support of the demand to repeal the three farm laws.
Today, more of our supporters, including office-bearers, have joined us from Bijnor at the Dalit Prerna Sthal on the call of BKU (Lok Shakti) chief Master Sheoraj Singh, the union's spokesperson Shailesh Kumar Giri said. We will not end our protest until the three new farm laws are repealed and the MSP is made legally-binding. Besides this, there should be a new law to ensure legal action against those who buy crops at rates below the MSP, Giri said, addressing the scores of protestors. He said his faction's protest will continue in a peaceful and Gandhian way until the demands are met by the Centre.
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At the protest site in the Singhu border area, a dip in the minimum temperature and the participation of women in the farmers' protest has resulted in a make-shift 'tent city' coming up at a petrol pump,While tractor trolleys continue to be the first choice to sleep in for the majority of farmers camping at the Delhi-Haryana highway, the insulated tents are proving to be a welcome addition in providing protection from the winter chill and probable rain.
The tents, which more often than not are booked to the capacity, have already crossed the figure of 200 from just 50 on December 12. Balveer Singh, 65, who has come from the Moga district of Punjab, said it has been a week now since he has been staying here in these tents and has nothing to complain about. "I did stay in the trolley also, and then I got to know about these tents and came here. Since it is all covered, you don't feel very cold here," said Singh, who is happy to put up with four people in a tent basically meant for two.
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The protesting farmers on Monday drew support from CPI (M)-led LDF government in Kerala which has decided to convene a special session of the Assembly on Wednesday to discuss the three contentious central farm laws and pass a resolution against the Acts Finance Minister Thomas Isaac in a tweet said Kerala was in "total solidarity" with the farmers' struggle and the session would discuss and 'reject' the laws. "The cabinet has decided to recommend to the Governor to convene a special session of the assembly on December 23. The session has been called to discuss the three agricultural laws against which farmers have held country-wide agitations," a a press statement issued by the Chief Minister's office said.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Punjab farmer attempts suicide near Singhu border:
A 65-year-old Punjab farmer protesting against the Centre's agriculture laws attempted suicide by taking some poisonous substance near the Delhi's Singhu border on Monday, a police official said.Niranjan Singh, who hails from Punjab's Tarn Taran, was admitted to the Rohtak's PGIMS and his condition is stated to be stable, the official said.
Before the suicide bid, the farmer left a note behind, which is being verified by police. We are in the process of recording his statement, the official said when asked about the reason behind the suicide attempt. The incident comes close on the heels of a Sikh preacher, Sant Ram Singh, allegedly committing suicide near the Singhu border last week as he was unable to bear the pain of the farmers.
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Converting the minimum support price regime to a floor price of auction on the national agri market (eNAM) portal and creating a contract farming institute can help solve the current impasse over the three new farm laws which are being opposed by farmers, says a report by SBI Research. The report also suggests that instead of MSP as a price guarantee that farmers are demanding, the government could insert a quantity guarantee clause for a minimum of five years that procurement to production percentage of crops will be at least equal to last year's percentage with safeguards in exceptional events like droughts and floods.This, the report said, can allay the concerns of farmers to a great extent.
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Farmer protesting against the Centre's agriculture laws on Monday started a hunger strike and briefly blocked the Delhi-Ghaziabad road.Superintendent of Police (City-II) Gyanendra Singh said farmers were persuaded to lift the blockade after which the National Highway-9 was opened to traffic. On Monday, a group of 10 farmers initiated a hunger strike against the farm laws. They will be replaced by another group on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a blood donation camp was organised at the Delhi's Ghazipur border by protesting farmers. BKU leader Rakesh Tikait donated blood on the occasion.
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Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, a joint forum of farmers' organisations, protesting at the Delhi borders against the Centre's farm laws on Monday appealed to the farmers in Bihar to join the agitation to get the benefit of minimum support price (MSP) for their produce.At a press conference, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni said the three farm laws were brought to benefit the capitalists and reiterated the demand to withdraw them and provide legal guarantee for MSP of 23 crops.
The "maximum impact" of disintegration of Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) has been seen in Bihar. The farmers in Bihar have been forced to the verge of misery and to seek employment in other states since they do not get the MSP for their crops, a statement said. "Due to non implementation of MSP, the farmers and workers in Bihar have been completely devastated. A movement is currently underway for implementation of MSP in Bihar and the entire country. The farmers and workers in Bihar should actively join it," Chaduni said in the statement.
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Farmers from Maharashtra leave for Delhi to join protests: Thousands of farmers fromMaharashtra on Monday left for Delhi from Nashik to join the ongoing agitation by cultivators seeking the repeal of threeagri laws passed by the Centre. The farmers, who started off in private vehicles, were led by leaders of the Kisan Sabha. Before proceeding to Delhi in afternoon, the farmers burnt effigies of Central leaders.A Kisan Sabha leader said farmers from 21 districts in Maharashtra are on their way to Delhi. He said agriculturists from Maharashtra have been demanding waiving of 'inflated' power bills and implementation of the recommendations of the M S Swaminathan Commiittee. Their other demands include an aid of Rs 50,000 per acre to those farmers whose crops were damaged due to unseasonal rains. Addressing the gathering of farmers, Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha leaders Ashok Dhawale and Ajit Navale criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) over the agri laws.
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The joint forum of farmers organisations - Sanyukt Kisan Morcha - appealed to Bihar farmers to join the agitation to get the benefit of minimum support price (MSP) for their produce. Morcha leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni charged in a press statement that the "maximum impact" of the disintegration of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee(APMC) has been seen in Bihar. "Due to the non-implementation of MSP, the farmers and workers in Bihar have been completely devastated. A movement is currently underway for the implementation of MSP in Bihar and the entire country. The farmers and workers in Bihar should actively join it," he said in the statement.
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Agitating farmers on Monday claimed that there is nothing new in the Centre's latest letter to them seeking a date for the next round of talks, as they held a day-long 'relay' hunger strike at all protest sites on Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to press their demand for the repeal of the contentious agri laws. The farmer leaders are expected to meet on Tuesday to discuss the next plan of action, Gurmeet Singh of Krantikari Kisan Union said, amid efforts by the unions to draw support from farmers in other states like Bihar for their demand to enact a law assuring Minimum Support Price.
The farmer leaders on Monday said they are always ready for dialogue as long as the government is offering a "concrete solution" "There is nothing new in their letter. We have already rejected the government's proposal to amend the new farm laws. In its letter, the government has asked us to discuss its proposal and convey a date to it for another round of talks. "Don't they know our demand? We just want a complete repeal of the new agriculture laws," another farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said.
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Centre's farm laws will strengthen rural economy, says Yogi Adityanath:Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday asserted that the three farm laws passed by the Centre are in the interest of the farmers. "The three farm laws passed by the Centre are in the interest of farmers. Apart from increasing the income of the farmers, they will also strengthen the rural economy, Adityanath said addressing a programme in Mau district. It will also generate employment opportunities in large number for rural youths, he added.The chief minister said it is completely misleading to say that the MSP will end after the implementation of the law."The Prime Minister has already assured farmers that the MSP will not end, and the mandi committees will also continue to function, he said.The chief minister said it is completely false and misleading that farmers' land will be grabbed under the provisions of these laws.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Centre neglected our interests, say farmers:
Farmers protesting against agriculture laws on Jaipur-Delhi highway in Alwar's Shahjahapur on Monday accused the Centre of not looking into their demands despite a threat to their livelihood. The livelihood of farmers is at stake but the government is paying no heed to their demands, they told reporters. Farmer leader Balvinder Singh from Kota said they feed crores of people but their interests have been neglected by the Centre. Singh said the Centre should withdraw the farm laws and threatened to intensify the agitation if their demand was not met.
Hello and welcome to Moneycontrol’s LIVE updates of the 'Delhi Chalo' farmers' protests happening at the border points of New Delhi. The protest has entered the 27th day today.
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