Farmers Protest Updates: Talks must continue, says MoS Agriculture Parshottam Rupala on meeting scheduled for 15 January

Farmers Protest Updates: 'It is only through dialogue, a way forward can be found,' Rupala told PTI. Farmers unions have also shown willingness to attend the scheduled ninth round of talks but have insisted on a complete repeal of the agri laws

FP Staff January 13, 2021 20:37:11 IST
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Farmers Protest Updates: Talks must continue, says MoS Agriculture Parshottam Rupala on meeting scheduled for 15 January

Representational image of farmers protest. AP

Highlights

15:31 (ist)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

Haryana Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala to meet Narendra Modi today

Facing heat over the ongoing farmers' agitation, Haryana's Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day to possibly discuss issues related to the protest. 

Chautala is the leader of Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) which is an alliance partner in the BJP-led government in Haryana. A section of JJP MLAs is believed to have been facing pressure from the agitating farmers.
 
Chautala, along with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday. After an hour-long meeting with Shah, both Khattar and Chautala said they have discussed the prevailing law and order situation in the state. "There is no threat to the Haryana government and it will last its full five year term," Chautala  had said. 
15:21 (ist)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

AMU students to set up health camp, mini library at farmers' protest site

The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) students Coordination Committee has announced that they would set up a health camp and a mini library at a farmers' protest site in the Delhi border as a mark of solidarity with the protesters.

It may be mentioned that presently there is no elected students union at the AMU since no election has been held for the past three years. Former office-bearers of students' union have been operating through the platform of the coordination committee. The statement of the students co-ordination committee mentions that farmers are the backbone of the country and their interests should be treated as paramount.
15:11 (ist)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

Punjab villages refuse to pause preparations for Republic Day tractor parade, say reports

According to Indian Express, on the day Supreme Court put the three farm laws on hold, a large convoy of tractor-trollies left Amritsar for Delhi to participate in a protest parade announced by farmer unions on Republic Day. The convoy left for Delhi Tuesday under the banner of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC).

A village in Punjab's Sangrur has even decided to fine those who choose to stay out of the rally, reports NDTV.

15:00 (ist)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

Farmers burn copies of farm laws at Singhu border

Farmers in Punjab on Wednesday burnt copies of the Centre's three new farm laws at several places on the festival of Lohri as a mark of protest against the legislations.

Protesting farmers owing allegiance to different farm bodies held protest at many places in the state and burnt copies of new agriculture laws.

Farmers also shouted slogans against the BJP-led Centre and slammed the government for not acceding to their demands. They demanded that the new farms laws should be repealed.

Farmers including women under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee held a protest at Pandherkalan village in Amritsar.

We burnt the copies of the farm laws as a mark of protest against these legislations, said committee's general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher in Amritsar. Similar protests are also being held at other places in Amritsar.
14:56 (ist)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

Farmers' body FAIFA asks PM to withdraw bill on cigarette, tobacco

Farmers' body FAIFA on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to recall the proposed bill to amend the law regarding cigarettes and other tobacco products saying it will be a death knell for Indian tobacco farmers, reports PTI.

The proposed COTPA (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act) Amendment Bill 2020 will provide huge boost to the ever-growing illicit cigarette business in India and will adversely impact the legal cigarette trade, FAIFA, which claims to represent farmers and farm workers of commercial crops across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Gujarat, said in a statement.

Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA) General Secretary Murali Babu said that in the amendment bill all the provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) are being given effect in full force and in some cases more than as required by FCTC.
14:41 (ist)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

60 farmer deaths don't embarrass, tractor rally does: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at the Centre, criticising the government for its stand that farmers’ tractor rally scheduled on 26 January will cause national embarrassment.

“The Modi government is not embarrassed by the death of more than 60 farmers, but by tractor rally,” he tweeted in Hindi.
14:32 (ist)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

SC’s farm laws order a moral defeat for BJP: SAD president

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday called the Supreme Court’s order of staying the implementation of three new farm laws till further notice a "resounding moral defeat" for the BJP-led government at the Centre.

Badal made the statement in a tweet, hours after the top court expressed concern over "lives and property of people affected" and slammed the Centre for not being able to resolve an agitation that has rumbled on for several weeks.

He also raised concerned over the SC’s setting up of a committee of agricultural experts -- all of who have supported the farm laws publicly -- to resolve the logjam between the government and farmers
14:22 (ist)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

Uncertainty looms over next round of talks on 15 January

With the Supreme Court staying the implementation of three contentious farm laws and constituting a four-member committee, uncertainty revolves around the January 15 meeting between the Centre and representatives of the protesting farmer unions, reports The Indian Express. Unidentified officials told the newspaper that as the court has constituted a committee to listen to the farmers’ grievances, “there is no use of holding parallel discussions”.

14:11 (ist)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

'Fasal Bima Yojana' increased coverage, benefitted crores of farmers: PM

The crop insurance scheme launched by his government has benefitted crores of farmers by mitigating farming risks against the vagaries of nature, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday as it completed five years since its launch.

In tweets, Modi also asked people to get information on how the 'PM Fasal Bima Yojana' has helped farmers from his NaMo app.
13:47 (ist)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

Singhu, Tikri, other key Delhi borders remain shut

Movement of traffic between Delhi and its two neighbouring states, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, remains disrupted as six borders are still completely closed because of the ongoing farmers’ agitation, reports the Hindustan Times. Besides this, two other key borders connecting the Capital with Uttar Pradesh are partially closed.

13:38 (ist)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

Haryana Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala to meet PM today

Facing heat over the ongoing six-week-long farmers' agitation, Haryana's Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day to possibly discuss issues related to the protest.

Chautala is the leader of Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) which is an alliance partner in the BJP-led government in Haryana. A section of JJP MLAs is believed to have been facing pressure from the agitating farmers.

In a statement, the JJP said Dushyant Chautala will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.

Chautala, along with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday.
13:29 (ist)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

After SC intervention, farmers should withdraw protest: Punjab BJP president

Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma on Tuesday appealed to agitating farmers to call off their protest after the Supreme Court's decision to set up a four-member panel to look into farmers' grievances.

The Punjab BJP chief also welcomed the apex court's decision to form the panel to resolve the issues raised by farmers in the three agriculture laws.

He hoped that all doubts of the farmers would be adequately addressed.

Reiterating that the farmers' fears about the discontinuation of minimum support price or the mandi system were completely unfounded, Sharma said the laws in no way were against the farmer interests.

In a statement, Sharma said the state farmers have contributed immensely to the nation's foodgrain stocks and the entire country is indebted to them for this.
13:28 (ist)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

Farmers to burn copy of new legislations on Lohri today

Farmers protesting at Delhi borders said they will burn copies of Centre's new agriculture laws at all demonstration sites on the festival of Lohri on Wednesday, as a mark of protest against the legislations.

Incidentally, Wednesday also marks the 50th day of the farmers' protest in Delhi.

Lohri is mostly celebrated in north India, marking the beginning of the spring season. Bonfires are a special characteristic of the festival.

Farmers' leader Manjeet Singh Rai said they will celebrate Lohri by burning the copies of farm laws at all protest sites in the evening.

Sankyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of around 40 protesting farmer unions, will hold a meeting later in the day to discuss the next course of action.

This comes a day after the protesting farmer unions asserted they will not appear before the Supreme Court-appointed panel, alleging it was "pro-government", and said they won't settle for anything less than the repeal of the three contentious laws.

LIVE NEWS and UPDATES

Jan 13, 2021 - 19:48 (IST)

Farmers should suspend stir after SC order: BCI

Amidst ongoing protest by farmers against the three controversial farm laws, Bar Council of India (BCI) on Wednesday urged them to respect the judiciary and suspend the agitation following the Supreme Court order, saying it is the last hope for the country. BCI, the country's apex bar body, urged the farmers to suspend their agitation, since the apex court has stayed the implementation and operation of the three laws which are being opposed by them. "The prudent citizens of the country should appreciate the order of the Supreme Court in the matter of Farmers' agitation. The step which our Apex Court has taken is a historic step and it is in the interest of the nation. The order of Supreme Court firstly aims at saving the lives of agitating farmers, the elderly people, women, children from the harsh cold and weather condition and COVID," BCI's chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra said in a press release

The release said that the apex court order has been passed in the background of death of elderly people, who lost their lives due to prolonged agitation and severe cold as also by suicide. The Supreme Court has stayed the implementation and operation of the three laws which are being opposed by the farmers and now the farmers should suspend their agitation, it said.

PTI

Jan 13, 2021 - 18:50 (IST)

Vaccine van held up in Bengal as TMC minister blocks highway over farm laws

A special vehicle carrying COVID-19 vaccines got held up on Wednesday in West Bengal's Purba Bardhaman district due to a blockade of the national
highway led by state minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury, protesting against the new farm laws, sources said. Purba Bardhaman's Superintendent of Police Bhaskar
Mukhopadhyay said that the vaccine-carrying insulated van was diverted over a distance of five km through a village owing to the blockade of the national highway, connecting Kolkata and New Delhi, at the Galsi area. Unofficial sources, however, claimed that the vehicle had to traverse village roads for a distance of 20 kms before it could be brought back to the national highway again. Chowdhury, the state library services minister, said he was not aware of the movement of the vaccine van and cleared the road once it was brought to his notice that the vehicle was held up, but by that time it was already diverted.
PTI

Jan 13, 2021 - 18:24 (IST)

Farmers burn copies of farm laws on Lohri

 

 Agitating farmers burnt copies of the contentious farm laws to mark the festival of Lohri.One lakh copies of the three agri laws were burnt at the Singhu border alone, news agency PTI quotes Paramjeet Singh of Samyukta Kisan Morcha as saying. "The celebrations can wait. We will celebrate all these festivals the day our demand of repealing of these black laws are met by the Centre," said 65-year old Gurpreet Singh Sandhu who hails from Haryana's Karnal district.
 
Several bonfires were lined up at the Delhi-Haryana border stretch, the nerve centre of the farmers' agitation. The protesting farmers raised slogans, sang songs of resistance and hope as they orbited the bonfire, burning copies of farm laws and praying for the success of their protest. Many farmer leaders, including Yogendra Yadav, Gurnam Singh Chaduni, also threw copies of the farm laws in the bonfire, created on the premises of the Kisan Andolan office, as per the news agency.
 

Jan 13, 2021 - 18:09 (IST)

Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla burns copy of farms laws

Jan 13, 2021 - 17:54 (IST)

Watch | Farmers burn copies of farm laws at Singhu border

Jan 13, 2021 - 17:20 (IST)

Talks must continue, says Parshottam Rupala

 The government is in favour of continuing talks with protesting farmer groups as it believes a solution can be found only through dialogue, Minister of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala said on Wednesday.  "Talks must continue. It is only through dialogue, a way forward can be found," Rupala told news agency PTI. He was responding to a query whether the government talks with protesting farmers' leaders on 15 January will be held as scheduled in the wake of the Supreme Court setting up of a committee to resolve the crisis.
 
 

Jan 13, 2021 - 16:58 (IST)

Dushyant Chautala meets Narendra Modi

As per reports, Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, a day after he met Home minister Amit Shah with Manohar Lal Khattar. After an hour-long meeting with Shah, both Khattar and Chautala said they have discussed about the prevailing law and order situation in the state. "There is no threat to the Haryana government and it will last its full five year term," Chautala hald told news agency PTI on Tuesday.

Jan 13, 2021 - 16:35 (IST)

Congress leader Siddaramaiah targets PM over farmers protest

Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, in a series of tweets, said the Supreme Court's order to stay the new farm laws only reiterates the fact that the new laws are against the interests of farmers and accused prime minister Narendra Modi of deciding to turn a blind eye towards the plight of the farmers.  "Supreme Court has understood that farmers are right in their demands and hence have allowed farmers to continue their protests," he said. He further stated that farmers are of the opinion that the expert committee constituted by the apex court has members who have all previously expressed their support for new farm laws enacted and added farmers demand that members of the panel should be be neutral and have concern for farmers. Targetting the prime minister, The Congress leader that Modi has not made a single genuine attempt to address the concerns of farmers and demanded that he apologize to the farmers and to the people of the country. "The new farm laws should be withdrawn!" he said.

Jan 13, 2021 - 16:14 (IST)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

Kamal Haasan thanks SC for staying implementation of farm laws

Actor-turned politician and founder of Makkal Neethi Maiam, Kamal Hassan on Wednesday thanked the Supreme Court for staying the implementation of Centre's new farm laws.

Speaking to reporters here, Haasan said, "We profusely thank the Supreme Court for doing this (stay) for the nation. We are grateful."

When pointed to the agitating farmers having reportedly rejected the panel set up by the apex court to resolve the impasse over the farm laws, he said, "at least the dialogue has begun.. if refused we will have to take steps to move further. That is how it will work.."

Jan 13, 2021 - 15:31 (IST)

Farmers Protest LATEST Updates

Haryana Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala to meet Narendra Modi today

Facing heat over the ongoing farmers' agitation, Haryana's Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day to possibly discuss issues related to the protest. 

Chautala is the leader of Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) which is an alliance partner in the BJP-led government in Haryana. A section of JJP MLAs is believed to have been facing pressure from the agitating farmers.
 
Chautala, along with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday. After an hour-long meeting with Shah, both Khattar and Chautala said they have discussed the prevailing law and order situation in the state. "There is no threat to the Haryana government and it will last its full five year term," Chautala  had said. 

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Farmers Protest LATEST Updates: Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah demanded that the Centre's new farm laws be withdrawn, a day after the Supreme Court stayed their implementation. In a series of tweets, Siddaramaiah accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of turning a blind eye to the plight of farmers in the country.

As per reports, Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, a day after he met Home minister Amit Shah with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Several JJP MLAs had on Tuesday requested the Centre to rollback the farmer laws. Following this, the JJP chief has back to back meetings with CM ML Khattar and Amit Shah.

Facing heat over the ongoing farmers' agitation, Haryana's Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day to possibly discuss issues related to the protest

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at the Centre, criticising the government for its stand that farmers’ tractor rally scheduled on 26 January will cause national embarrassment.

Farmers protesting at Delhi borders said they will burn copies of Centre's new agriculture laws at all demonstration sites on the festival of Lohri on Wednesday, as a mark of protest against the legislations.

Lohri is mostly celebrated in north India, marking the beginning of the spring season. Bonfires are a special characteristic of the festival.

Farmers' leader Manjeet Singh Rai said they will celebrate Lohri by burning the copies of farm laws at all protest sites in the evening.

Sankyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of around 40 protesting farmer unions, will hold a meeting later in the day to discuss the next course of action.

This comes a day after the protesting farmer unions asserted they will not appear before the Supreme Court-appointed panel, alleging it was "pro-government", and said they won't settle for anything less than the repeal of the three contentious laws.

The unions also raised doubts over the neutrality of the members of the committee even as they welcomed the top court's order to stay the implementation of the laws.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the implementation of the controversial farm laws till further orders and set up the four-member committee to resolve the impasse between the Centre and the farmer unions protesting at Delhi's borders over the legislations.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Haryana and Punjab, have been protesting at several border points of Delhi since November 28 last year, demanding a repeal of the three laws and a legal guarantee to the minimum support price (MSP) system for their crops.

Enacted in September last year, the three laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.

However, the protesting farmers have expressed their apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of the MSP and do away with the "mandi" (wholesale market) system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

Updated Date: January 13, 2021 20:38:16 IST

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