Farmers' Protest Highlights: The 'Delhi Chalo' farmers' protest at border points of New Delhi has entered the 42nd day today. Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, are staging a sit-in protest along Delhi borders. The protest started on November 26. 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. The seventh round of talks between the government and protesting farmers ended inconclusively on January 4 as unions stuck to their demand for a complete repeal of three farm laws they find pro-corporate, while the government wanted to discuss only "problematic" clauses or other alternatives to resolve the over one-month-long deadlock. The two sides decided to meet again on January 8. Meanwhile, the farmers have deferred their proposed tractor march from January 6 to January 7 due to a bad weather forecast, even as they asserted they will intensify their stir in the coming days.
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Cancellation of UK PM visit our victory, govt's 'defeat': Farmer unions
Farmer unions protesting against the three new agri laws Wednesday claimed the cancellation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's visit to India later this month was a "political win" for them and a "diplomatic defeat" for the government, and asserted their agitation has been receiving global support. Johnson was scheduled to attend the Republic Day celebrations in India as Chief Guest, but the visit had to be cancelled due to the growing health crisis in the UK after a new variant of coronavirus emerged there.
"The cancellation of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's India visit is a political win for farmers and a diplomatic defeat for the Modi government...political and social organisations across the world have been supporting the agitation," Sankyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of the protesting farmer unions, said in a statement in Hindi. The statement said the farmers have already announced a tractor protest march on January 26 and a "rehearsal" for it on January 7.
"The cancellation of the UK prime minister's visit because of all these efforts is surely a big victory for farmers," the statement said. According to a release issued by the Prime Minister's office here on Tuesday, PM Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with Johnson.
"Prime Minister Johnson reiterated his thanks for India's invitation for him as the Chief Guest of the forthcoming Republic Day celebrations, but regretted his inability to attend in view of the changed COVID-19 context prevailing in the UK. He reiterated his keenness to visit India in the near future," it had stated. The protesting farm unions have claimed that around 80 farmers have died they have called them "martyrs" -- since their agitation began.
"Farmers' movement is now becoming people's movement," the Morcha statement said. Meanwhile, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, one of the 40 protesting unions, alleged in statement that the Central government is "non-serious" on the demands of peasants.
"The Central government is non-serious about talks and solving farmers' problems. In the 7th round of talks, it finally stated clearly that it has understood that the demand is for repeal and that it will have to undertake 'further consultation'," AIKSCC claimed. The seventh round of talks between the protesting unions and three Central ministers ended inconclusively on Monday as farmer groups stuck to their demand for the repeal of three laws, while the government listed out various benefits of the new Acts for the growth of the country's agriculture sector.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had said he remains hopeful of a solution in the next meeting on January 8, but asserted that efforts need to be made from both sides for a resolution to be reached (taali dono haathon se bajti hai). While several opposition parties and people from other walks of life have come out in support of the farmers, some farmer groups have also met the agriculture minister over the last few weeks to extend their support to the three laws.
Last month, the government had sent a draft proposal to the protesting farmer unions, suggesting seven-eight amendments to the new laws and a written assurance on the MSP procurement system. The government has ruled out a repeal of the three agri laws.
(PTI)
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UP CM Adityanath launches 'Kisan Kalyan Mission'
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday launched 'Kisan Kalyan Mission', an initiative dedicated to farmers' welfare and growth, and reiterated his government's resolve to double the income of farmers. Adityanath urged the farmers to ignore the "misleading and misinformation campaign" by certain elements in furtherance of their ulterior political interests.
"We all together need to focus on making our nation the best," he exhorted. Kick-starting the programme from Dadupur village in Sarojininagar block here, the chief minister attacked the previous governments in the state for their "apathetic" attitude towards the plight of farmers.
He listed a slew of pro-farmer schemes implemented by the Centre and his government for the overall welfare of the farmer fraternity, a government spokesman said. "Lakhs of farmers committed suicide between 2004 and 2014 because no one was there to take care of them. But after our government came into power, farmers are using new farm technologies and are on the path to success," Adityanath said. 'Atmahatya se Aamdani' (from suicide to income) has been the motto of the Uttar Pradesh government for the farmers which is being well manifested by scores of schemes, he said, adding that "had the growth in agri-sector taken place in the 70 years, the Modi government would not have required to take up the task of doubling the income of farmers in the last six years".
Invoking the 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' slogan of the country, the UP chief minister said despite this, the farmers remained marginalised owing to the "politically-motivated" approach of the previous governments, mainly of the Congress. "The farmers have now seen how the pro-farmers policies are implemented and can reach the ground level. Earlier, there was a facade of politics only to garner votes rather than benefiting the farmers," he stressed.
(PTI)
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Farm unions will actively arrive at solution after discussion, saysNarendraSinghTomar
Union Agriculture MinisterNarendraSinghTomaron January 6 said those farmer unions, which are protesting against the farm laws, will understand the idea behind bringing laws for reforms in the agricultural sector and actively arrive at a solution after discussion.
"The government of India is committed to the welfare of farmers. We meet those who are supporting the laws and those opposing it. I am sure that farmer unions who are agitating will understand the idea behind agriculture laws and they will think about the welfare of farmers and actively arrive at a solution by a positive discussion,"Tomartold reportershere
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Agriculture Minister to reporters:
We are committed to the welfareof farmers. We meet those who are supporting the laws and those opposing them. I am sure that farmers' unions, who are agitating, will think about the welfare of farmers and actively arrive at a solution.
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The Supreme Court had earlier issued notice and sought the Centre's response on a batch of pleas against the three contentious farm laws -- Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020.
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The Supreme Court was today hearing a plea filed by advocate ML Sharma challenging the farm laws. The bench issued notice to the Centre seeking its response on Sharma's plea which has alleged that the Central government has no locus under the Constitution to frame these laws.
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Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, while informing the Supreme Court bench that talks are going on between the government and farmers in a healthy atmosphere, said that these matters should not be listed for hearing on January 8.
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The Supreme Court today said it would hear on January 11 a batch of pleas challenging the new farm laws as also the ones raising issues related to the ongoing farmers' protest at Delhi borders. A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde, which observed that there is no improvement on the ground regarding farmers' protests, was told by the Centre that healthy discussions are going on between the government and farmers over these issues.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Telangana Congress on Twitter:
Makar Sankranti / Lohri / Pongal / Bhogali Bihu (farmers festivals) that bring a lot of joy and celebrations are fast approaching. Farmers should have been happy and celebrating in their homes, but they are out in the bitter cold and rain protesting against farm laws!
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Undeterred by cold weather, rains, protesting farmers threaten to intensify stir further
Camping at protest venues near Delhi borders for more than 40 days, braving severe cold and sporadic rains, farmers have asserted that their stir against the farm reform laws will intensify in the coming days, even as they deferred today's proposed tractor march over a bad weather forecast. The deadlock continues as the seventh round of talks with the Centre remained inconclusive, with the farmer groups sticking to their demand for the repeal of the three new laws, and the government listing out various benefits of the new Acts.
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Interacting through Facebook, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSSC) leader Avik Saha has said that the government claimed that 50 percent of demands of farmers have been met, but repeal of the farm laws has been a primary demand since day one.
The unions said the agitation against the three agriculture reform laws will be intensified in the coming days.
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Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and some other parts of the country have been camping at several Delhi border points since November 28, demanding repeal of farm laws, a legal guarantee on minimum support price for their crops and other two issues. Last week, the government agreed to exclude farmers from penal provisions of the Air Quality Management ordinance and to not pursue the draft Electricity Bill.
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Talking about their other proposed tractor march to Delhi, which is scheduled on January 26, farmer leader Joginder Nain said, "We will send 10 tractor-trollies from every village in Haryana. We request people to come -- at least one from a house. And a total of 11 women from a village."
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President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management committee Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Twitter: "Shree Brar who penned & sung Kisaan Anthem- in support of our farmers, has been arrested by Patiala police. This is a pure vendetta, a gross attempt to dislodge & derail Farmers Protest. We condemn this act & stand by Shree Brar in his fight against injustice."
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Union leaders have said that thousands of farmers will take out the tractor march from all protest sites -- Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Shahjahanpur (Haryana-Rajasthan border) -- the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) on January 7.
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The prime minister understands Punjab very well and is concerned about farmers, BJP leaders Surjit Kumar Jyani and Harjit Singh Grewal said after a nearly two-hour meeting with PM Narendra Modi. "Modi knows a lot... all will be resolved and something good will happen. I cannot disclose what transpired in the meeting but something good will happen... when something is being conceived there are fears that it might get miscarriage," Grewal said. (PTI)
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | BJP leaders from Punjab meet PM Modi, say issue will get resolved soon
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the know of all developments related to the farmers' protest against the new agri laws and the issue will get resolved soon, BJP leaders from Punjab asserted yesterday after meeting the PM. BJP leaders Surjit Kumar Jyani and Harjit Singh Grewal met Prime Minister Modi at his residence amid protests by farmers at Delhi's borders for nearly six weeks. Jyani was chairing the BJP's coordination committee for interacting with farmers in Punjab last year on the three farm bills which at that time had not been passed by Parliament. Grewal was a member of the panel. (PTI)
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Farmers defer today's tractor march by a day over poor weather forecast
Farmers protesting against the new Central agriculture laws deferred their proposed tractor march from January 6 to January 7 due to a bad weather forecast, even as they asserted they will intensify their stir in the coming days. Addressing a press conference at Singhu Border in Delhi, Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav said "it has been seven months" since the new laws came into force and the government has held seven round of talks with farmers since then, but it has not listened to "seven words" of farmers which are: "we want repeal of the farm laws". Union leaders said thousands of farmers will take out the tractor march from all protest sites -- Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Shahjahanpur (Haryana-Rajasthan border) -- the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) on January 7. (PTI)
Hello and welcome to Moneycontrol’s coverage of the farmers’ protest.
The 'Delhi Chalo' farmers' protest at border points of New Delhi has entered the 42nd day today.
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