Farmers' Protest Updates: Govt pegs hope on 11 Jan SC hearing as eighth round of talks fail

Have discussed 50% of issues with farmer leaders, says Tomar

“We will follow whatever direction the SC will give in the matter. We are still hopeful of having a resolution said Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar adding that “We had discussed over 50 percent of the issues with farmer leaders.”

No solution except repealing farm laws, says Congress on farmers’ protests

On a day farmers are holding the eighth round of talks with the government, the Congress on Friday said there is no solution except repealing the three farm laws.

The Congress also stepped up the offensive against the government by launching an online campaign in support of the farmers’ agitation, with party leader Rahul Gandhi accusing the government of betraying the farmers for benefitting their ‘corporate friends’.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also met the party’s MPs and MLAs from Punjab who are sitting in protest at Jantar Mantar demanding repeal of the farm laws.

Eighth round of negotiations end without conclusion; next meet on 15 Jan

The eighth round of talks between the government and representatives of protesting unions ended without any outcome on Friday and the next meeting is likely to take place on 15 January, sources said.

Sticking to their key demand of the repeal of three farm laws to end their protest, farmer leaders told the government their “ghar wapsi” from protest sites on Delhi borders can happen only after “law wapsi” but the Centre insisted talks must be limited to contentious clauses and ruled out a complete withdrawal of Acts.

Sources said not much discussions could take place at the meeting and the next date has been decided after keeping in mind a scheduled hearing of Supreme Court on January 11. The government sources said the apex court may look into the legality of the three laws, besides other issues related to farmers’ protests.

Both parties break for lunch after farmers refuse to break silence for over an hour

No discussion in past one hour as farmers give ministers the silent treatment

The discussion between the farmers and the Centre reached an unprecedented stalemate as union leaders decided to observe silence while holding out papers with slogans including ‘Jeetenge ya Marenge’ (We will either win or die).

The union leaders, however, refused to take a lunch break and stayed put in the meeting room, a source told PTI.

The situation spiralled down to this level after Union Agriculture minister reportedly told the farmer leaders that he will not consider repealing the three contentious laws.

Ghar wapasi only after law vapasi: Farmers tell Centre

At the outset, Tomar appealed to unions for discussions on the laws, while farm leaders reiterated their demand that the new Acts must be withdrawn, sources said, adding that the agriculture minister stressed on protecting the farmers’ interest of the entire country. “Our ‘ghar wapsi’ (return to home) can happen only if you do ’law wapsi’ (repeal of laws),” a farmer leader said at the meeting.

“Ideally, the Centre should not interfere in agriculture matters as various Supreme Court orders have declared farming as a state subject. It seems you (the government) do not want to resolve the issue as talks have been happening for so many days. In that case, please give us a clear answer and we will go. Why to waste everyone’s time,” another farmer leader said at the meeting.

All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) member Kavitha Kuruganti, who was also present in the meeting, said the government has told unions that it can not and will not repeal these laws.

Farmers’ unions say Narendra Singh Tomar has flatly refused to repeal law

Farmer unions have said that the Union Agrigulture Minister has flat out refused to repeal the three contentious farm laws, even as farmers have been insistent that it is one of their core demands. The members of delegation currenrly in talks with the centre told Aman Sharma of The Economic Times that they have conveyed to the government that the demand to repeal laws is non-negotiable and the central government has no right to legislate on the agricultire sector.

Ready to hold talks 700 times, but our demands won’t change, says Rakesh Tikait

Farmers’ leader Rakesh Tikait said that the farmers are willing to converse with the government 700 times if they like, but their demands will not change. The farmer unions have already held seven rounds of negotiations while the eighth round is underway. While the government is trying to reason out the bill clause by clause, the agrarians are adamant they want the contentious bill repealed.

Tomar meets Amit Shah before 8th round of talks with farmer unions

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday met senior BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah, just before the start of the eighth round of talks with protesting farmer unions on the three farm laws, sources said.

The meeting continued for about an hour, they said, but what issues came up for discussion in the meeting could not be ascertained. 

Tomar is leading the talks with the representatives of around 40 farmer unions at the Vigyan Bhawan to resolve the over-one-month deadlock over the three farm laws.

Army plans disciplinary action against soldier at farmers’ stir

The Indian Army will initiate disciplinary proceedings against a serving soldier who had participated in a farmers’ protest in Bathinda last month,  The Print reported. The Army is also in the process of identifying another soldier who had posted a video on social media in support of the farm protests.

Sources said that in the case of the protests at Bhatinda, the soldier, who carried a placard in support of the farmers while wearing uniform and face shield, and was in violation of Section 21 of the Army Act, 1950.

Section 21 in The Army Act, 1950 forbids a soldier from being a member of, or to be associated in any way with, any trade union or labour union, or any class of trade or labour unions or any society, institution or association, or any class of societies, institutions or associations. It also forbids soldiers from attending or addressing any meeting or to taking part in any demonstration organised by any body of persons for any political or other purposes.

Union Ministers begin 8th round of talks with farmers’ leaders

Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal arrived at the Vigyan Bhavan and began the eighth round of talks with farmers’ leaders.

Ahead of the meet, Tomar had said that both sides will have to take steps to move towards a solution, adding that the government is ready to consider any proposal other than repealing the three agricultural laws.

Farmers near Delhi send trucks of firewood for Ghazipur protesters

Amidst rain and cold in Delhi, farmers rom Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Gautam Budh Nagar, Bagpat and other adjoining areas of western Uttar Pradesh sent trucks loaded with firewood to farmers protesting at Ghazipur border.

“We have plenty of firewood back home and our brothers are shivering in rain and cold in Delhi. So we decided to keep resupplying firewood. So far, we have supplied over four tractor trolley full of firewood,” said Ranveer Tewatia, a farmer from Meerut, said India Today.

Protesting Congress leaders meet Priyanka Gandhi

Congress MPs and leaders who are protesting against Centre’s three farm laws at Jantar Mantar met party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at Rahul Gandhi’s residence.

Lok Sabha members from Punjab Ravneet Singh Bittu, Jasbir Singh Gill and Gurdeep Singh Aujla and MLA Kulbir Singh Zira have been staying put at Jantar Mantar since 6 December to express solidarity with the agitating farmers. “We will continue till the farm laws are withdrawn,” Gill, a Lok Sabha member from Khadoor Sahib, said.

Delhi: Congress MPs and leaders who are protesting against Centre's three farm laws at Jantar Mantar meet party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at Rahul Gandhi's residence pic.twitter.com/zcjNWMrIxW

— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2021

JP Nadda to launch campaign to woo farmers on 9 January

BJP national president JP Nadda will be visiting West Bengal’s Purba Bardhaman district on Saturday to launch the party’s new campaign aimed at wooing farmers, amid the ongoing protest over the contentious agriculture laws.

Nadda, in a bid to blunt opposition camp’s “anti- farmer” allegations against the BJP-led central government, will float ‘Ek Muthi Chawal’ (a fistful of rice), a project under which he would collect rice from farmers’ homes and brief them about the benefits of the new legislations.

Ahead of talks, Tomar says each will have to take steps towards solution

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar,ahead of eighth round of talks with the farmers, said he is hopeful that talks will be held in a “positive atmosphere” and a solution will be found. “During discussions, each side has to take steps to reach a solution,” he said.

Farmers’ leaders make way for Vigyan Bhavan

Leaders appointed by protesting farmers left for Vigyan Bhavan from the Singhu border for the eighth round of talks with the Centre.

Haryana: Farmer leaders from Singhu border leave for Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi for the eighth round of talks with the Union Government on farm laws pic.twitter.com/ai1vd8VN9K

— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2021

15 Uttar Pradesh farmers sit on hunger strike

Amid ongoing protests against the farm laws, 15 farmers from Uttar Pradesh sat on a hunger strike in Noida.

The 15 protesters are from the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) and are camping at the Dalit Prerna Sthal, while 11 farmers belonging to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) are already on a relay hunger strike at the Chilla border since a fortnight, according to NDTV.

The 15 protesters belong to Gautam Buddh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Firozabad, Aligarh, Kasganj, among other places in the state.

Farm leader’s metaphor ahead of talks with Centre

Ahead of the eight round of talks, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, said the government is giving dates for court hearings without a case in place.

“Government is giving tareekh pe takeekh (dates after dates) with a case. They (the government) are also trying to use the probable spread of the COVID-19 virus as an excuse to end our protest. Political parties held large gatherings during the Bihar elections and also in Telangana. If COVID-19 starts spreading here we’’ll see,” he stated. He reiterated that farmers will go home after the government agreed to protesters’ demands and repealed the laws.

SC expresses concern over large gathering of farmers amid COVID pandemic

The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed concern over large gatherings of farmers protesting against the farm laws at Delhi borders and asked the Centre whether they were “protected” against the spread of COVID-19.

Referring to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizammudin Markaz after the nationwide lockdown was announced last year, a Bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde, said, “The same problem is going to arise in farmers’ agitation. I do not know if farmers are protected from COVID. So, the same problem is going to arise. It is not that everything is over.”

Harsimrat Kaur Badal says Centre has lost trust of farmers

Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the Centre has lost the trust of the entire farming community and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should directly talk to farmers who are registering their protests at the doorstep of the national capital.

In an interview to PTI, Badal, leader of the BJP’s erstwhile ally, said, “Farmers are dying at the doorstep of the central government while protesting for their demands. Who will be responsible for deaths of ‘annadaatas’ of the country?” Badal said.

alking about the ongoing meetings between protesting farmers and Centre, Badal said after seven rounds of meetings nothing concrete has come out. “After several rounds of meetings if ministers are unable to resolve the farmers’ issues then Prime Minister Narendra Modi should directly talk to protesting farmers,” Badal said.

Narendra Singh Tomar-led committee to meet 41 farm leaders

The eighth round of talks will be held between a ministerial committee, including Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Prakash, and 41 representatives of farm organisations at the Vigyan Bhavan.

Peaceful protests integral part of democracy: Rahul Gandhi

Voicing support for the farmers’ agitation, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said protests are an integral part of democracy.

In a tweet in Hindi, he further said, “The movement that farmers have launched is getting support from across the country. You too should raise your voice in support of them so that anti-farmers’ laws are repealed.” 

शांतिपूर्ण आंदोलन लोकतंत्र का एक अभिन्न हिस्सा होता है। हमारे किसान बहन-भाई जो आंदोलन कर रहे हैं, उसे देश भर से समर्थन मिल रहा है।

आप भी उनके समर्थन में अपनी आवाज़ जोड़कर इस संघर्ष को बुलंद कीजिए ताकि कृषि-विरोधी क़ानून ख़त्म हों।#किसान_के_लिए_बोले_भारत pic.twitter.com/fT7ujHPg3g

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 8, 2021

Minister says clause-wise talks will solve farmers’ issues

MoS (agriculture) Kailash Choudhary said a solution to the farmers’ issues could be found if clause-wise talks are held between the protestors and the Centre. “Government of India is ready to make amendments in the laws. We are hopeful of resolution,” he said.

On Thursday, Choudhary told ANI “There are people like Communists who are inciting farmers and don’t want peace in the country”. Choudhary urged the farmers to be cautious.

Meanwhile, Balvinder Singh Raju, a farmer, told Hindustan Times that there is no scope for clause-by-clause discussion between protestors and the government.

Border cross points between Delhi and UP, Haryana remain closed for traffic

Border crossing points to Delhi from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh continued to remain closed for traffic on Friday.

The Delhi Police have advised commuters from Uttar Pradesh to take routes passing through Anand Vihar, DND, Loni DND, and Apsara as Chilla and Ghazipur border crossings are closed.

The Delhi-Haryana borders at Singhu, Tikri, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Saboli, and Mangesh remain closed. The police have advised commuters from Haryana to take alternate routes via Lampur Safiabad, Palla, and Singhu school toll tax borders. The traffic from Haryana has been diverted from Mukarba and GTK Road. Commuters have been advised to avoid Outer Ring Road, GTK Road, and NH-44.

Over 60 farmers have died during protests so far

Over 60 farmers have died till now, many die to the extreme weather conditions prevailing in the northern part of India.

The protesters say the laws will threaten their financial position and bargaining power. The government, however, insists these will only free them more than ever to trade their produce in a wider market.

Farmers’ protest enters Day 44

For 44 days now, thousands of farmers from Punjab and Haryana have been camping at several Delhi borders, demanding repeal of the laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support prices for their crops, among other things.

In the seven round of talks between the farmers’ unions and the government so far, two of the four demands have been met with. The farmers, however, said the protest would continue unless the farm reform laws are repealed.

Eighth round of talks between Centre, farmers at 2 pm

The protesting farmers will hold their eighth round of talks with the government today at 2 pm, even as the Centre ruled out any possibility of repealing the three agricultural laws.

The last round of talks on 4 January failed to end the impasse and the farmers threatened to intensify the stir and enter Delhi on Republic Day if their demands were not met.