Farmers' Protest highlights: Sure we will get a solution in tomorrow's meeting, says agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar

Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | BJP-ally JJP asks Haryana minister Vij to withdraw cases against protesting farmers

Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), the BJP's coalition partner in Haryana, met Home Minister Anil Vij here on Friday and sought withdrawal of cases registered in the state against farmers participating in the "Delhi Chalo" march against the Centre's farm laws.

A three-member JJP delegation led by the party's state unit chief Nishan Singh met the state home minister. Senior party leader Digvijay Singh Chautala was also part of the delegation.

"We have requested the minister that the cases filed against the farmers during their movement to the national capital must be taken back immediately," Chautala said after the meeting.

He told reporters that the minister assured him of taking up the matter with Chief Minister M L Khattar.

Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | In this tweet from ANI: Security personnel continue to guard Tikri border (Delhi-Haryana border) as farmers' protest against the centre's farm laws continues. A meeting of farmer leaders with the central government to take place tomorrow.

Security personnel continue to guard Tikri border (Delhi-Haryana border) as farmers' protest against the centre's farm laws continues.

A meeting of farmer leaders with the central government to take place tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/NVsnhOybgS

— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2020

Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Delhi 'held hostage' through protest, says Kapil Mishra in letter to President 

Amid the ongoing agitation by farmers on city's borders, Delhi BJP leader Kapil Mishra has urged President Ram Nath Kovind to take steps to provide respite to Delhiites who he claimed were being "held hostage" through protests.

In his letter to Kovind, Mishra said workers of many political parties have held Delhi hostage for many days. He said the supplies of essential items like milk, vegetables, oxygen cylinder and medicines has been affected, he said.

"This is not the first time but it has been recurring. At the start of this year, Delhi was held hostage in the name of Shaheen Bagh movement and an atmosphere of hatred and violence was created in the capital," he said in his letter.

Mishra's name has figured in connection with the Delhi riots, with many political and social outfits accusing him of giving "provocative" speech at Jafarabad that was followed by riots in north east Delhi.

Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | In this tweet from ANI: Volunteers distribute medicines to farmers who're protesting the farm laws at the Ghazipur border. 

Delhi: Volunteers distribute medicines to farmers who're protesting the farm laws at the Ghazipur border

"Most patients are coming due to gastric problems & body-ache. This is the first day that we've come here. We've seen about a hundred patients till now," says one doctor pic.twitter.com/XAfxabK9Jw

— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2020

Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Here’s why Punjab and Haryana farmers are on the warpath

The farmers’ meeting with the government on December 3, again ended without any conclusive outcomes with the next round to be held on Saturday. Farmers from Punjab and Haryana have been at protesting against the farm legislations enacted by New Delhi fearing that the government will do away with minimum support prices (MSP). They also contest the weakening of the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) under the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act. 

They worry that the law would lead to inadequate demand for their produce in local markets. These are the two key issues among several others which have driven the farmer agitation.

The central government has assured that the MSP system will continue several times, but farmers are demanding a written assurance. 

Read more here.

Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | INLD to join any SAD-led outfit to further farmers' causes: Abhay Chautala

Asking the government to accept farmers' demand to repeal the three recent central laws, the Indian National Lok Dal on Friday expressed its willingness to join any front floated by the Shiromani Akali Dal to further the tillers' and other causes.

The party also said it has asked its district presidents and other office-bearers to take party's Kisan Cell members in tractor trollies to Delhi borders to join and lend support to the agitating farmers.

While asking the government to immediately accept farmers demand to repeal the three farm laws, Abhay Chautala, the younger son of INLD president and former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, also asserted that the party is "solidly behind farmers" fighting against the three laws.

Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to CNN-News18: Government of India is in talks with Kisan Union. The meetings are on a positive note. Tomorrow we will meet again, and I am sure we will get a solution tomorrow.

Kisan Union faction gives call for Bharat Bandh on December 8, says will burn effigies of PM Narendra Modi tomorrow

The meeting of farmer union leaders with the government had ended without a breakthrough on December 3. The next round of the meeting will be held on December 5

Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Plea in SC seeks removal of farmers protesting at Delhi borders

A petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Friday seeking direction to the authorities to immediately remove farmers, who are protesting at several Delhi border points against the new farm laws, saying commuters are facing hardships due to the road blockades and the gatherings might lead to increase in COVID-19 cases.

The plea has sought the apex court directions to the authorities to open the roads at Delhi borders, shift these protestors to allotted place and provide guidelines on social distancing and use of mask at the protest place to contain spread of COVID-19 cases.

The petition, filed by law student Rishabh Sharma, has claimed that Delhi Police had on November 27 allowed these protesters to hold demonstration peacefully at Nirankari ground at Burari here but despite that they have blocked the borders of Delhi.

Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU-Lakhowal) General Secretary, HS Lakhowal at Singhu Border: Yesterday, we told the Government that the farm laws should be withdrawn. On December 5, effigies of PM Modi will be burnt across the country. We have given a call for Bharat Bandh on December 8.

Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Hope govt will meet our demands : Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait of BKU 

Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Friday said the farmers are hoping that the government will meet their demands during the fifth round of talks scheduled on December 5, failing which they will continue their protests against the new farm laws.

“The government and the farmers did not reach any decision during the meeting held on Thursday. The government wants to make amendments to the three laws, but we want the laws to be completely repealed.  If the government does not agree to our demands, we will continue to protest. We are looking to find out what happens in Saturday’s meeting,” Tikait told PTI

Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Farmers are being insulted. They are being called 'Khalistanis' and 'Congressis'. Farmers are farmers. They have come here with their valid demands, rising above religion, caste and region. They are here in this cold: Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former Haryana CM and Congress leader (ANI)