Farmers' Protest Highlights: The Delhi Chalo farmers' protest at border points in New Delhi has entered the 23rd day today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has begun his address to the farmers of Madhya Pradesh. Affirming that the right to protest is part of a fundamental right, the Supreme Court has said it will not interfere at this stage with the farmers' ongoing stir, and the agitation should be allowed to continue without impediment and without any breach of peace either by the protestors or the police. Meanwhile, Narendra Singh Tomar issued an 8-page open letter to farmers saying the Centre is ready to address all their concerns. Farmers have so far rejected the government's offer of amendments in the new agriculture reform laws and a written assurance on continuing the MSP system. Previous five rounds of talks between the central government and representatives of 40 farmer unions remained inconclusive. Farmers have said that the protest will continue until their demands are met and the laws are scrapped. They fear that the new laws will dismantle the minimum support price (MSP) system and corporatise farming.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates |
Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, & Mangesh borders are closed. Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba & GTK road: Delhi Traffic Police
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Farmers' protest affects traffic movement on Jaipur-Delhi highway for 6th day
The traffic on Jaipur-Delhi national highway remained partially affected for the sixth consecutive day on Friday due to the farmers' agitation near the Rajasthan-Haryana border. Despite intense cold conditions, the farmers have been staying put in Shahjahapr near the border since Sunday, protesting against the three agri laws introduced by the Centre.
One side of the highway, from Jaipur to Delhi, is closed whereas the other side, from Delhi to Jaipur, is open for traffic. On Friday, the farmers were addressed by activists Kavita Srivastava, Kanwar Yadav and others, spokesperson of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Rajasthan) Ram Madhav said.
(PTI)
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Indian doctors' group from USA delays return to help protesting farmers
A group comprising 20 Indian doctors from the USA has delayed its return to provide medical services at Tikri border, where thousands of farmers have been protesting against the new farm laws for over three weeks now. Svaiman Singh, one of the doctors in the team, said they set up medical camps at Tikri nearly 20 days back and have been attending to the sick farmers since then.
"Every year we come to India to set up free medical camps to help those in need. This year the people who were most in need are these farmers, so we are here," the cardiologist said. "We came to India about three months back for our annual medical camp trip and were scheduled to return in a month's time, but stayed back to offer facilities to the farmers," he said.
Hailing from a farmers' family himself, the doctor said they plan to stay back as long as the farmers need them. He also said they are being helped by doctors in India with all kinds of medical supplies.
(PTI)
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Smriti Irani, Union Minister of Textiles at Kisan Sammelan in Meerut:
The opposition says that the one who made the bills isn't a farmer. The one who talks of producing 40-inch potato is he a farmer? Is Sonia Gandhi a farmer? The one who actually did something for farmers is PM Narendra Modi.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Smriti Irani, Union Minister of Textiles at Kisan Sammelan in Meerut:
PM Narendra Modi provided Rs 8 lakh crores in MSP to farmers during his tenure compared to Rs 3.5 lakh crores which UPA provided in 10 yrs of their tenure. What did they do when they were the ruling party?
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates |
Slamming Opposition leaders for their stance against the new farm laws, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has alleged that "failed political players" who have been rejected repeatedly by the people are acting under their "depression of defeat" and "misleading" the farmers.
The Minority Affairs Minister also lashed out at Opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that the Congress leader was "posing" as a farmers' leader despite knowing little about farming, while the Delhi chief minister was "karne mein zero, dharne mein hero (zero in work, but hero in sit-ins)".Farmers throughout the country are satisfied that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked for their empowerment and interests after coming to power, Naqvi said. (PTI)
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Protest not for farmers, it's meant to oppose Centre, says Union Minister Rupala:
Union minister ParshottamRupala on Friday alleged that the only purpose of the protest going on at Delhi borders against three farm laws is to oppose the central government and it is not meant for the welfare of farmers. He also urged the farmers to let these agriculture lawsget implemented first and then approach the government for any modifications.
"This agitation is not at all for the benefit of farmers. It is going on just to oppose the central government. There is always a scope for making amendments in the future if farmers feel that some provision is not right. So the upfront demand to scrap the entire law at this juncture is improper," the Minister of State for Agriculture said.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Hardeep Puri accuses Congress of 'instigating' protests over farm laws:
Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri accused the Congress on Friday of spreading "canards" over the recent farm laws and "instigating" protests, while taking a swipe at the party on the absence of many of its members in the Rajya Sabha when these bills were passed."Even their senior leader, Rahul Gandhi, was vacationing abroad when the voting took place. The party is clearly imploding. It should rather bother about holding its remnants together than stoking fire in the country," Puri said in tweets.
Citing a Hindi idiom, the Union civil aviation minister alleged that the Congress is warming its hands while setting the houses of others on fire. "Congress is doing precisely that. It points out non-existent flaws in Farm Bills, spreads canards & instigates protests. If it wanted to block the bills why were the party MPs not present in full force during RS voting?" he asked. "Our farmers have played a positive role in putting food on our table and in making the green revolution," Puri said while reiterating the Centre's stand that if they have any concerns about the farm laws, it will sit across the table and resolve those.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | PM Narendra Modi:
On 25th December, the birth anniversary of Atal Bihar Vajpayee, I will once again talk about this subject in more detail.On that day, another instalment of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi will be transferred to the bank accounts of crores of farmers
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates |
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on December 18 that the new farm reform laws were not brought in overnight and that they were discussed by every government over two decades.Addressing farmers virtually as part of the ‘Kisan Kalyan Sammelan’, PM Modi slammed the opposition and said political parties should stop “misguiding” farmers.
“It has been six-seven months since the farm laws were implemented. But now suddenly, games are being played to plough one's own political land through a web of lies,” PM Modi said.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | PM Narendra Modi:
Swaminathan Commission report is the biggest proof of how ruthless these people can be. These people sat on theSwaminathan Commission report recommendations for 8 years. They ensured that their government didn't have to spend money on farmers. Theykept the report under wraps
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | PM Narendra Modi:
If we wanted to remove MSP, why would we implement Swaminathan Commission report? Our government is serious about the MSP, that's why we declare it before sowing season every year. This makes it easy for farmers to make calculations
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | PM Narendra Modi:
Ourgovernment has not only increased the MSP, but also purchased a lot of produce from farmers on MSP. Thebiggest benefit has been that more money has reached the farmers' account than before. In the last five years of the previous government, farmers received only Rs 3.74 lakh crore rupees on the purchase of paddy and wheat on MSP, while Modi government has given more than Rs 8 lakh crore to farmers by purchasing wheat and paddy
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | PM Narendra Modi:
Political parties should stop misguiding farmers.In addition to increasing MSP, Modi government has emphasised that more and more food grains should be purchased on the MSP. The previous government had purchased about 1700 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from farmers in its five years, while our government purchased 3000 lakh metric tons of paddy from MSP farmers in the last five years
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | PM Narendra Modi:
These farm laws have been implemented more than 6-7 months ago. But suddenly, by laying a web of confusion and lies, games are being played by some to plough their political land. Today those who have come out to run agitations in the name of farmers, when they had a chance to run the government or become part of the government, what did these people do?
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | PM Narendra Modi:
I request all political parties with folded hands, please keep all the credit. I am giving credit to all your old election manifesto. I just want to ease the life of farmers, I want their progress and want modernity in agriculture.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates |
Madhya Pradesh: Farm laws have not been introduced overnight. Over last 20-30 years, central and state governments held detailed discussions on these reforms. Agriculture experts, economists and progressive farmers have been demanding reforms: PM Modi while addressing Madhya Pradesh farmers
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Madhya Pradesh: "Several farmers have been given Kisan Credit Card. Earlier, they were not available to all farmers. But we changed rules to make Kisan Credit Card available to all farmers across the country,"PM Modisaid while addressing Madhya Pradesh farmers through video conferencing.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | PM Narendra Modi begins
addressing Madhya Pradesh farmersat the 'Kisan Kalyan' event through video conferencing. "Rs 16,000croreis being transferred into the bank accounts of 35 lakhs farmers of Madhya Pradesh," he said.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates |
Even though the six rounds of talks between the representatives of agitating farmers and the government have failed to arrive at a settlement, it is clear that irrespective of the result of this agitation, the agriculture scene will not be the same as before. Even if the farmers’ demand for continuation of procurement at a minimum support price (MSP) for wheat and paddy is accepted by the government, the farmers would have realised that the days of open-ended procurement will not last forever.
The three farm laws hurriedly enacted by Parliament in September would have already made it clear to farmers of Punjab and Haryana that they have no option but accept the reality of the beginning of the end of unlimited procurement.
Opinion: Without much delay, Punjab and Haryana will have to diversify from wheat and rice cycles
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The negotiation between the government and Punjab farmers has reached a stalemate. The farmers want the three laws to be repealed. While the laws are not perfect and can be amended, repealing them is not right. Punjab farmers also want a law promising them Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Let us assume that they want it for two crops that they currently grow, not all the 23 crops for which MSP is announced. Do they only want MSP? Don’t they want procurement too? If they want procurement, who will pay for it and where will the procured grains be stored, supplied or sold? As the Punjab government is supporting the farmers, the state should also procure, store and redistribute. The state government can supply it to deficient states or sell it in the open market.
Read: Time for reforms, give procurement and redistribution to states
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Another BKU faction reaches Noida; homage paid to 'martyrs' of farmers stir:
Another group of farmers reached Noida on Thursday and attempted to move to Delhi to join the bigger stir against the new agri laws but was prohibited by police deployed in a large number near the Chilla border.Scores of members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ambavat) faction were stopped near Mahamaya flyover on the Noida-Delhi Link Road, with the development obstructing traffic movement on the key route, according to police officials.
"The Noida-Delhi Link Road via Chilla is partially closed. Movement from Delhi to Noida is allowed but not otherwise, due to the farmers' stir," a Noida Traffic Police official told PTI. "Commuters have been advised to opt the DND or the Kalindi Kunj route for travelling to and from Delhi," the official said, adding that the route has been diverted from Dalit Prerna Sthal to the DND flyway. (PTI)
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates |
With the farmers’ agitation entering the third week and with no breakthrough in sight, there has been greater scrutiny on the three farm laws passed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. Even as the government has expressed its willingness to amend these laws to make them more palatable, the farmers are demanding nothing short of a total repeal. The farmers are negotiating from a position of advantage as they have partially laid siege to Delhi and, with the government seen to be unwilling to consider a rollback, things might reach a flashpoint soon. It becomes all the more incumbent then to analyse these laws dispassionately.
The three laws — Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act — have been reforms that have been long overdue, ever since the 1991 liberalisation era. Reforming the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) has had bipartisan support over the years, even making it to the election manifesto of the Congress in 2019. The issue of contract farming is also a corollary of the APMC reforms, giving a formal structure to something that is already in practice. The amendment to the Essential Commodities Act has sound logic on the need to preserve perishable commodities and to prevent price volatility during the off-season.
Read:Farm reforms essential to the long-term sustainability of agriculture
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates |
The government recently introduced three new farming laws in order to address a few long standing malfunctions in the agri-value chain. While the bills are being viewed as positive by most agri-economists and agri-researchers, they have not gone down well with the farming community in northern India. Major protests have been seen in Punjab and Haryana with farmers lining up to protest on the Delhi border.
What is interesting is that though the laws are for the entire country, the protests are confined largely to the northern states of Punjab, Haryana and UP. If anything, this highlights the skewed procurement across states.Our study shows that the new laws do leave some grey areas which need to be addressed. However, with freedom to sell their produce anywhere in the country, the larger loss is actually for the intermediary and the state governments who stand to directly loose a large portion of their cuts, commissions and taxes. We take a closer look at some of these issues.
Read:Why is it important to understand the economics of farmers’ protests?
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Make agriculture climate-resilient, profitable & sustainable, says VP Venkaiah Naidu:
Vice President MVenkaiahNaiduon Thursday called for making agriculture climate-resilient, profitable and sustainable, while ensuring remunerative prices to farmers as well as food and nutritional security to millions of people.He also said that farmers must be allowed to sell their produce anywhere in the country, and the principle of a common market for the entire country was behind the conception of e-NAM and it must be expanded.
Delivering the 41st convocation address of the TamilNaduAgricultural University (TNAU),Naidureiterated the importance of creating adequate infrastructure like coldstorages, godowns as well as providing affordable credit to farmers, an official statement said. Observing that the need of the hour is to provide a helping hand to farmers, he appreciated the central and state governments for taking many initiatives for the welfare of farmers, given the vagaries of monsoon and uncertainties in agriculture.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates |
With limited word length of a column, let me focus on one of the three farm laws — the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020. First, in the last agricultural census (2015-16), there were 146 million agricultural holdings (this number may have increased further because of fragmentation). Measured in terms of operated area, most holdings are in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Measured in terms of number of holdings, most are in UP, Bihar, Maharashtra and MP. Eighty-six percent of holdings are small and marginal (less than two hectares). Only 0.6 percent are large (more than 10 hectares). Therefore, if we have farmer interests in mind, we should also listen to farmers from Rajasthan, Maharashtra, UP, MP and Bihar, and not only to those who have large holdings.
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DMK, allies begin hunger strike in support of protesting farmers: The DMK-led opposition in TamilNadu on Friday embarked on a day-long hunger strike in support of farmers protesting against the three farm laws enacted by the Centre recently. Farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting outside Delhi for over three weeks against the central legislations.
On Friday, DMK chief and Leader of Opposition, MK Stalin, party MP Kanimozhi and leaders of alliance parties participated in the protest here.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates |
The Shiromani Akali Dal asked the BJP why it has abandoned the principles of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The Shiromani Akali Dal slammed the saffron party, a day after BJP's national general secretary Tarun Chugh charged Sukhbir Singh Badal with spreading poison and igniting communal passions in Punjab under the garb of farmers' cause.
They are gearing up to make one brother (Sikh) fight against another (Hindu) solely to get a foothold after being overwhelmingly rejected by people following the enactment of the three agricultural marketing acts, he alleged. Asking the state BJP leaders to take their fight to the Centre, Chandumajra said, You need to ask your party leadership why it has abandoned the moderate policies of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and forgotten to take everyone along with you.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates |
Gujarat BJP president CRPaatil has criticised Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for supporting farmers' protests and questioned them on their knowledge of agri commodities. Targeting the two national opposition politicians, he sought to know if they knew the difference between green cluster bean (guar) and green pigeon pea (tur).
"Delhi is a city which has been given the status of a state, and that is why it has a chief minister too. In real sense, the CM (Kejriwal) has powers of a city's mayor only. "Kejriwal is now trying to establish his dominance over the entire country's politics despite being just a papertiger," said Paatil, addressing a gathering of farmers in Bardoli town of Surat district. "I am sure he (Kejriwal) and Rahul Gandhi may not be knowing the difference between green cluster bean and green pigeon pea. "Such people are talking about the welfare of farmers," said the Lok Sabha MP from Navsari.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates |
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar through his letter to farmers has made an effort to engage in a humble dialogue, and appealed to the 'annadaatas' to read it. Tomar, in an eight-page open letter to farmers, said the Modi government is committed to the welfare of farmers and stressed that the new agri laws are aimed at benefiting small and marginal farmers.
"Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has written a letter to farmer brothers and sisters and expressed his feelings, he has made an effort to engage in a humble dialogue. I request all 'annadaatas' (farmers), do read it. I also request all the people of the country to ensure that this letter reaches more and more people," Modi tweeted in Hindi.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates |
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on December 17 wrote an open letter to farmers protesting against the new farm reform laws and said that misunderstanding had been created among some groups regarding the initiatives. In a Hindi tweet, Tomar said the central government has followed the ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ motto and worked towards development for all without discrimination. “The history of past six years is the evidence,” Tomar added. In the letter, written in Hindi, Tomar sought to alleviate farmers’ concerns, saying that the system of MSP and agricultural produce market committees (APMCs) will not be stopped.
Tomar also said that farmers’ lands are not in danger and agreements that farmers sign will be for crops, not for their land. The union agriculture minister added that the price of the produce will be determined in the farming agreement and farmers will be able to end the contract whenever they want, without any penalty. He further highlighted that many states have already introduced contract farming and consultations had taken place for two decades before the laws were passed.
Read:What Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar wrote in his open letter
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Delhi BJP hits out at Arvind Kejriwal for tearing copies of farm laws in parliament:
Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta slammed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who tore the copies of three farm laws in the Assembly on Thursday, saying it was a "political stunt" and "gimmick" in view of Punjab politics. Kejriwal assailed the BJP-ruled Centre over the recent farm laws during a special session of the Delhi Assembly and tore the copies of the three legislations, saying he cannot betray the farmers.
Gupta said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief converted constitutional dignity into a "gimmick" by tearing the copies of the farm laws in the Assembly."Kejriwal's opposition to the farm laws is just a political stunt. When he found out that a section of the farmers of Punjab is opposing the new farm laws, to save political land in the state, he started pretending to oppose it," he said.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates |
Part of Jaipur-Delhi Highway remains blocked: Farmers continued their agitation near the Rajasthan-Haryana border on the Jaipur-Delhi highway on Thursday, keeping the road partially blocked.The farmers led by Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav, former CPI (M) MLA Amra Ram and other leaders have been agitating in Sakatpura near Shahjahanpur in Alwar in Rajasthan. One side of the highway, from Jaipur to Delhi, is closed whereas the traffic is moving on the other side, from Delhi to Jaipur.
CPI (M) leader Amra Ram said that besides local farmers, people are coming from far flung areas of the state to support the agitation. He said many farmers joined the agitation on Thursday under the leadership of former MLAs Pawan Duggal, Pema Ram and others. Amra Ram said the movement will continue till the government accepts the demand of withdrawal of the new agriculture laws.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address farmers as part of the Kisan Kalyan Sammelan in Madhya Pradesh on December 18. The virtual address will be telecast live across all district headquarters of Madhya Pradesh and 23,000 villages of the country, reports suggest. The address comes at a time when thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, are staging a sit-in protest at various borders of Delhi. 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.
Read:PM Narendra Modi to virtually address farmers’ conference in Madhya Pradesh today
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Delhi Traffic Police:
Jhatikara border is open only for two-wheelers and pedestrian movement. Chilla Border one carriageway from Delhi to Noida is open for traffic. However, the other carriageway from Noida to Delhi is closed.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates |
Farmers' body FIFA meets Narendra Tomar; extends support for new farm laws
Amid the ongoing farmers' protest against the new farm reform laws, yet another farmer grouping FIFA met Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and extended support for the legislations. The Federation of Indian FPOs and Aggregators (FIFA) is the sixth group of farmers that has extended support for the laws in the last two weeks. The previous groups were from Haryana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
FIFA represents 15 states and around 500 farmer producers organisations (FPOs) in the country. "They (FIFA) expressed their support for the recent agricultural reforms by the Government of India. They thanked the minister for the enabling environment which these Acts have created to scale business of FPOs to benefit the small and marginal farmers," an official statement said.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar writes open letter to farmers:
Accusing the Congress and other opposition parties of spreading falsehood about the new farm reform laws, union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday appealed to the agitating farmers not to fall prey to these "white lies" and said the Centre was ready to address all their concerns. The minister, in an eight-page open letter to farmers, said the Modi-government was committed to their welfare and stressed that the new legislations were aimed at benefitting small and marginal farmers.
Assuring that the minimum support price (MSP) will continue and the existing mandi system will be strengthened, the minister appealed to the farmers to dismiss "white lies being spread by politically motivated people".Tomar, who is leading the negotiation with about 40 farmer unions along with Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, asserted that there were no provisions in these laws for corporate firms to take control of farmers' lands. "Many farmers' unions have supported farm laws. But some farmer groups have created confusion. Being an agriculture minister, it is my duty to remove misconceptions and address concerns of every farmer. It is also my duty to expose the conspiracy being hatched around Delhi and present the truth and facts before you," he said in the letter.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Farm-law impasse should be resolved through dialogue, says BKU chief:
Bharatiya Kisan Union president Naresh Tikait said farmers did not want conflict during the protest against the new farm reform laws and the issue should be resolved through dialogue.Tikait said the Centre should repeal the farm laws in public interest, adding that the contentious legislations were not in favour of the farmers.
Addressing the media in Muzaffarnagar before his departure to Delhi, Tikait suggested that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, BJP veteran L K Advani and RLD leader Ajit Singh should be part of the dialogue to resolve the issue.Meanwhile, members of a number of 'khaps' (caste councils) from Muzaffarnagar district joined the protests near Delhi on Wednesday.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Arvind Kejriwal tears copies of Centre's farm laws, says cannot 'betray' farmers:
The Delhi Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution against the Centre's three new agriculture laws with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tearing up their copies, saying he cannot betray the farmers of the country. Addressing the Delhi Assembly, the chief minister also alleged the laws have been made for "electoral funding of the BJP and not the farmers".
I am pained that I have to do this. I did not intend to, but I cannot betray the farmers of my country who have been sleeping on the streets in the cold when the temperature is just 2 degrees Celsius, Kejriwal said, while tearing up the copies of the three laws.I am a citizen of this country first, a chief minister later. This assembly rejects the three laws and appeals to the central government to meet the demands of the farmers, he said.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Farmer leaders to consult senior lawyers to decide next course of action:
Farmer leaders have said they will consult senior lawyers, including Colin Gonsalves, Dushyant Dave and Prashant Bhushan, before deciding the next course of action after the Supreme Court said it was thinking of setting up an "impartial and independent" panel of agriculture experts and peasants' unions to resolve the deadlock over the farm laws.
The protesting farmer leaders welcomed the apex court's move to acknowledge the right of farmers to non-violent protests, but asserted that their agitation will continue until a concrete solution is found."We will meet senior lawyers Colin Gonsalves, Dushyant Dave, H S Phoolka and Prashant Bhushan on Friday and consult them about what can be done," Abhimanyu Kohar, a leader of the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sabha, told PTI.
He said the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of around 40 farmer unions protesting at Delhi's border points, has not received any notice from the Supreme Court, adding that it will comment on the matter only after seeing a copy of the court's order. Senior Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Dharampal Malik said a technical team has been formed by the union, adding that the Centre should first make its stance clear on whether it wants to put the contentious farm laws on hold. "We will first read the Supreme Court's order, consult our lawyers and then decide the next course of action," he said.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates: PM Modi to speak on benefits of agri laws in address to MP farmers:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak about the "beneficial provisions" of the new farmlaws during his virtual address to the farmers of Madhya
Pradesh on Friday as part of a state-level programme. An official of the Madhya Pradesh Public Relations Department on Thursday said the PM would address the farmersin the state around 2 pm.
The MP government has organised a state-level 'Kisan Kalyan' event in Raisen district, wherein Chief Minister Shivraj Singh will transfer the relief amount of Rs 1,600 crore into the bank accounts of nearly 35.50 lakh farmers for the damaged kharif crops, the official said. Nearly 20,000 farmers will take part in the state-
level programme in Raisen, he added.
Good morning! Hello and welcome to Moneycontrol's LIVE blog on the farmer protests in Delhi.
The Delhi Chalo farmers' protest at border points in New Delhi has entered the 23rd day today.
Stay tuned for the latest news and developments on the same.
