19:22 (IST)
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Raghav Chadha accuses BJP of vandalising his office, attacking staff; party denies
Delhi Jal Board (DJB) vice chairman and AAP MLA Raghav Chadha on Thursday claimed that BJP workers vandalised his office and attacked staff members at the board’s headquarters at Jhandewalan in Delhi.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied the allegations saying the attack was orchestrated by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
According to Chadha, the vandals said that the attack should serve as a warning to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP MLAs for supporting the ongoing farmers’ protest.
“The vandals told us that Kejriwal is coming out in support of farmers that is why we are warning him with this attack and if the party does not stop supporting the farmers movement then they will target every AAP MLA,” Chadha claimed.
Kejriwal called the attack “shameful” and said the AAP would not be cowed down by such a cowardice act.
BJP’s violent attack on my office today. Entire office vandalized, staff threatened and injured. pic.twitter.com/GHNGq6410B
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) December 24, 2020
एक बार फिर @BJP4Delhi की गुंडागर्दी जल बोर्ड चैयरमेन @raghav_chadha जी के कार्यालय में बीजेपी के गुंडों द्वारा ऑफिस में तोड़फोड़ और वहाँ कर्मचारियों से मारपीट की गई।। pic.twitter.com/Cw3rygc8Wl
— MLA Kuldeep Kumar (@KuldeepKumarAAP) December 24, 2020
19:13 (IST)
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Traffic to Delhi hit as pro-agri law farmers gather in Noida
Traffic movement from Noida to Delhi was affected on Thursday afternoon as hundreds of farmers, who support the Centre’s new agriculture laws, assembled near the Mahamaya Flyover here, officials said.
These farmers, belonging to various districts of western Uttar Pradesh, have come for the demonstration on the call of farmers’ union Kisan Sena and want to go to Delhi to meet Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, according to the outfit’s conevnor Thakur Gauri Shankar Singh.
This demonstration in Noida comes even as two major farmers’ unions the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) and the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) are camping at the city’s border for over three weeks now to demand the repeal of the three new central farm laws.
Besides them, thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, have stayed put for nearly a month at other border points of Delhi, including Singhu and Tikri, to protest against the laws.
18:47 (IST)
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Copy of memorandum against farm laws submitted by Congress leaders
A copy of the memorandum submitted by the Congress delegation to the President of India, today. https://t.co/B4taPQwoKq pic.twitter.com/8gdmHMdECm
— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2020
18:45 (IST)
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BJP dares Rahul for debate on what Congress and Modi govt have done for farmers
The BJP on Thursday challenged Rahul Gandhi for an open debate on what the Congress did for farmers’ welfare when in power and what the Modi government has done for them, as it rejected his allegations against the Centre as “baseless and illogical”.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar accused the Congress of ignoring farmers’ interests and keeping them poor to ensure cheap grain prices, and asserted that the Modi government empowered them by implementing the Swaminathan commission report to give them remunerative price through MSP.
The BJP leader noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will transfer Rs 18,000 crore to nine crore farmers on Friday, taking to a total of Rs 1.20 lakh crore the amount of money it has directly credited to their bank accounts so far.
“This is merely the beginning. It will continue for 10 years and the total scheme is of Rs seven lakh crore,” he said, noting that the all the Congress did when it was in power was to waive their loans amounting to Rs 53,000 crore. This money was not given to farmers but to banks against their loans, he noted.
“I challenge the Congress and Rahul Gandhi for an open debate. I will prove how the Congress always ignored farmers’ interests and how Modi empowered them. Farmers always demanded remunerative price for their produce but the Congress never did so,” he added.
The opposition party has been “unmasked” as it has become clear and it and its allies have been using farmers’ shoulders to fire at the government and have been “instigating” them, he alleged.
18:38 (IST)
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New agri laws making farmers feel insecure: Sachin Pilot
The Centre should repeal the new agri laws as they are making farmers feel insecure about their future, Congress leader Sachin Pilot said on Thursday, reports PTI.
The former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan said the Congress is working hard to ensure that the organisation and the state government fulfil the promises made to the people of the state.
“The centre should stop being stubborn and withdraw the farm laws with immediate effect. The farmers are feeling insecure about their future. They are very concerned, Pilot told reporters in Pali.
He said the executive of the state unit of the Congress will be announced in December and political appointments will take place in January.
AICC (All India Congress Committee) general secretary in-charge for Rajasthan Ajay Maken has said several times that the executive of the PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee) will be announced in December and political appointments will take place in January in the state,” he said.
“The objective of all of us is to make the organisation and the government stand up to the expectation of people and we are working in that direction, he added.
18:17 (IST)
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Punjab farm labourer cycles 370 kms for 2 days to join protests at Singhu
“I had to reach Singhu because if the farm legislations are not repealed, I will lose my livelihood,” claimed Sukhpal Bajwa, a farm labourer from Punjab who cycled 370 kms for two days to reach Delhi to support the farmers’ agitation against the Centre’s new agri laws.
Standing by his cycle, the 36-year-old from Punjab Moga’s district said he could have taken a bus or a train to Delhi, but that could mean his family would have to go hungry.
“What can I do when I don’t own a vehicle. I am a daily-wager and can barely make ends meet by working in a farm. Bus or train would have been expensive, I thought it is better if my family spends that money on their food,” Bajwa told PTI.
The journey was tough and “this was also the first time that I travelled this far all alone, completing over 370 kms from my village in Moga”, he said, adding that it took him two days, with a few breaks, to reach the Delhi (Singhu) border, whereas in a motor vehicle, the same distance would have taken around six hours.
Bajwa said on the way, one of his cycle’s tyres got punctured late in the night on December 18 and it delayed his travel.
18:03 (IST)
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Haryana Dy CM says farm laws need amendments, urges farmers to give concrete suggestion
Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Thursday said the new central farm laws need many amendments and urged protesting farmers to give “concrete suggestions”.
The Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader reiterated that he will tender his resignation the day he feels he is unable to ensure minimum support price (MSP) to farmers in Haryana.
Addressing a press conference here, the deputy chief minister said, “I believe that many amendments should be there. On this, we have given many suggestions to the Centre earlier and they too were agreeable on many suggestions.”
“I think the Centre is ready to incorporate those amendments,” he added. At another point in the briefing, Chautala said the Centre was repeatedly inviting the farmer unions to talks, and it was the responsibility of these outfits to give “concrete suggestions” regarding their demands.
He hoped that the protesting farmers resume dialogue with the Centre to resolve their concerns over the three new laws.
-PTI
17:38 (IST)
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PM’s accusations of Opposition ‘lying’ to farmers ‘baseless’, say Opposition parties
Opposition party leaders have termed the allegations made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has accused the parties of lying to the farmers, as “baseless”, stating that such accusations are a “complete travesty of truth”.
In a joint statement on Thursday, Congress, NCP, DMK, PAGD, RJD, SP, CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), AIFB and RSP leaders expressed their solidarity with the protesting farmers.
“PM must stop baseless accusations, repeal farm laws. We, the undersigned, register our strong protest against the baseless allegations being made by Prime Minister Modi, accusing the opposition parties of “repeatedly lying” to the farmers about the new farm laws and using them for their politics. The Prime Minister’s accusations are a complete travesty of truth.
“We, the undersigned, have expressed our solidarity with the protesting farmers. The call for this ongoing historic struggle was given by more than 500 kisan organisations from all over the country under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM). Many of us had opposed these agri laws when they were being enacted in Parliament without discussions or a proper consideration. MPs who sought a vote were suspended,” the statement said.
17:20 (IST)
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Centre should listen to opposition parties: Chhagan Bhujbal
Issues can not be solved if Opposition is stopped from raising them, Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal said on Thursday after Congress leaders were detained in Delhi during a protest against farm laws, reports PTI.
Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others were detained after they staged a sit-in protest as they were not allowed to march to Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Bhujbal, a senior NCP leader, said the Union government should listen to opposition parties when they raise any issue. “You don’t listen to farmers. If opposition parties try to raise the issue you stop them. How will issues be solved then?” he asked.
He also wondered why Congress MPs and other leaders were stoppped from meeting the President.
16:41 (IST)
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Farmers from Baghpat have written letter in support of new laws, says Tomar
“Farmers from Baghpat have given me a letter in support of Centre’s Farm Laws. They’ve told me that govt shouldn’t buckle under any pressure to make amendments to Farm bills,” Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar after meeting Kisaan Mazdoor Sangh members from Baghpat.”Whatever Rahul Gandhi says, even Congress doesn’t take it seriously. Today when he went to register his protest with President with signatures, these farmers told me that no one from Congress came to them to get their signature,” he said.
Farmers from Baghpat have given me a letter in support of Centre’s Farm Laws. They’ve told me that govt shouldn’t buckle under any pressure to make amendments to Farm bills: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar after meeting Kisaan Mazdoor Sangh members from Baghpat https://t.co/tBtICmThfb pic.twitter.com/X0AHKPiquQ
— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2020
16:38 (IST)
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Govt again invites farmers for talks, says it won’t be logical to discuss MSP-related demand
The government on Thursday again invited protesting farmer unions for talks, but made it clear that it would not be “logical” to include in the agenda any new demand related to minimum support price (MSP), which is out of the purview of three new farm laws.
In a three-page letter written to 40 farmer leaders, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Vivek Aggarwal said, “I again request you that the government has been discussing all issues with open heart and good intention to end the protest, and will continue to do so. Kindly suggest a date and time (for the next round of talks).”
Aggarwal asked the union leaders to provide details of other issues they want to discuss. The talks will be held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi at a ministerial level, he said.
On MSP, Aggarwal said the farm laws have no connection with the price regime nor would have any impact on the procurement of farm produce at the fixed rates.
This has been told to the unions in every discussion and it has also been made clear that the government is ready to give written assurance on MSP, he said.
“Any new demand related to MSP, which is out of the ambit of farm laws, is not logical to include in the talks. As informed earlier, the government is ready to discuss all the issues raised by farmer unions,” he noted.
Aggarwal’s letter has come in response to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s December 23 letter, through which it had informed the government that the farmer unions are ready for talks but asked it to send a “concrete proposal in writing instead repeating rejected proposals around meaningless amendments.”
15:59 (IST)
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Farmers group meets Tomar
A delegation of 60 farmers belonging to Kisaan Majdoor Sangh, Baghpat meets Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar at Krishi Bhawan on Thurday.
Delhi: A delegation of 60 farmers belonging to Kisaan Majdoor Sangh, Baghpat meets Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar at Krishi Bhawan pic.twitter.com/v1KWxShAKZ
— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2020
15:55 (IST)
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Punjab farmers travel to various parts of country to mobilise support
Farmer leaders from Punjab, protesting at Delhi borders, have started travelling to different parts of the country to mobilise support for their ongoing agitation, reports The Indian Express. “Protesting unions now plan to take the agitation to 20 states covering nearly 500 districts by December end,” says the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee.
15:35 (IST)
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BKU (Lok Shakti) moves SC challenging farm laws
Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) has moved the Supreme Court challenging the three new farm laws, against which various farmer unions are staging protest at several border points of Delhi, and sought impleadment in the matter pending in the apex court.
In an application seeking impleadment in the pending petition, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) has claimed that the new farm laws promote corporate interest and are not concerned with the interest of farmers.
The plea, filed through advocate A P Singh, alleged that these acts are unconstitutional and anti-farmer as it would dismantle the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) system intended to ensure fair prices for farm products.
The implementation of the acts in its current form will spell disaster for the farming community by opening a parallel market which is unregulated and gives enough place for exploitation of the Indian farmers, the application said.
It claimed that farmers are very much scared that these acts also lead to corporatisation of the entire agriculture market and the prices can be driven up or down by the corporates.
-PTI
15:12 (IST)
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Centre writes letter to agitating farmers
The government has written to agitating farmers, asking them to decide the date and time for the next round of talks. “Govt is committed to reaching logical solutions to the issues raised by you,” the letter reads.
Govt writes to agitating farmers, asking them to decide the date and time for the next round of talks. “Govt is committed to reaching logical solutions of the issues raised by you,” it reads. pic.twitter.com/tBglPwi8fs
— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2020
14:42 (IST)
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About 50 to 60 Congress workers detained by Delhi Police
The Delhi Police say they detained about 50-60 Congress workers at 24 Akbar Road area of the Capital, while they were trying to march towards the Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet President Ram Nath Kovind, reports ANI.
14:25 (IST)
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Kerala cabinet again seeks Guv’s nod to convene special Assembly session
The Kerala cabinet on Thursday again decided to recommend to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan seeking approval for a special Assembly session on 31 December to discuss and pass a resolution against the three central farm laws, against which farmers have been protesting near Delhi.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed the media about the cabinet decision and said his government was “hopeful” that the Governor would accord sanction for the special session.
This comes days after Governor Khan declined consent for the Left government in the southern state to convene a one-day session on 23 December to discuss the central laws and express solidarity with the agitating farmers.
The Governor’s act had triggered sharp criticism from the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and opposition United Democratic Front (UDF).
14:10 (IST)
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Congress MLAs to reach MP Assembly on tractors on 28 Dec
Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs will arrive at the state Assembly on tractors on 28 December as a mark of protest against the Centre’s three new farm laws and rise in fuel prices, a party legislator said on Thursday. The three-day winter session of the state Assembly will begin from Monday.
MP Congress president Kamal Nath has asked all the party MLAs in the state to reach the Congress office in Bhopal on 28 December morning.
The legislators will then travel to the state Assembly complex on tractors to protest against the three new agri laws and inflation, Congress MLA Harsh Yadav told PTI.
13:25 (IST)
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Farmers will not return until laws are taken back, says Rahul Gandhi
“The farmers would not return till these laws are taken back. The government should convene a joint session of Parliament and repeal these laws,” Rahul Gandhi told reporters after meeting the president.
He said all the opposition parties are standing with the farmers. He alleged that the way the laws were passed without any discussion, consultations, they need to be withdrawn.
“‘We three people went to the president, but took the voice of farmers to the president, by taking 2 crore signatures of farmers,” he said, adding that “the farmers are in pain and are also dying, the prime minister will have to listen to them.”
If the prime minister does not take these laws back, the country will suffer, he claimed. “Anyone trying to take power from Modi will be dubbed as anti-national,” he alleged.
Gandhi further alleged that only three-four people are running the system and said the party is fighting this.
“It is an assault on the idea of India. The government is stopping our MPs from moving out of our office…There is no democracy in India, it is only in imagination, not in reality,” he charged.
#WATCH | You have an incompetent man who does not understand anything & running a system on the behalf of 3 or 4 other people who understand everything: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/Ct3f7zTtjc
— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2020
13:12 (IST)
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Farmers’ agitation at Ghazipur border (UP-Delhi border) enters Day 27
Farmers’ agitation at Ghazipur border (UP-Delhi border) enters Day 27. pic.twitter.com/yA4iZIlQLt
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 24, 2020
12:55 (IST)
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Rahul Gandhi submits memorandum signed by 2 cr farmers to President
The All India Mahila Congress on Thursday tweeted a photo of the meeting between Rahul Gandhi and President Ram Nath Kovind, where the Congress leader submitted a memorandum reportedly signed by 2 crore farmers against the new agricultural laws. Senior party leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury were also part of the delegation.
A delegation from the Indian National Congress comprising Shri @RahulGandhi, Shri @ghulamnazad and Shri @adhirrcinc called on President Kovind at @rashtrapatibhvn
2 Cr Farmers have signed against Modi Govt’s 3 Black laws #CongressMarchesForFarmers pic.twitter.com/duFWEdWm7c
— All India Mahila Congress (@MahilaCongress) December 24, 2020
12:49 (IST)
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Rahul Gandhi urges Centre to convene joint session of Parliament
As per news agency PTI, Rahul Gandhi has also urged the Centre to convene a joint session of Parliament. “If the prime minister does not take these farm laws back, the country will suffer,” he adds.
“I want to tell the Prime Minister that these farmers are not going to go back home until these farm laws are repealed. The government should convene a joint session of parliament and take back these laws. Opposition parties stand with farmers and labourers,” said Gandhi after meeting the President.
12:44 (IST)
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No democracy in India, says Rahul Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi on Thursday addressed the media after meeting President Ram Nath Kovind. He accused the Narendra Modi government of making money for “crony capitalists”. “Whoever will try to stand against him [the prime minister] will be called terrorist,” he said.
“There is no democracy in India,” Gandhi adds. “It can be in your imagination, but not in reality.”
LIVE: Shri @RahulGandhi addresses the media after meeting with the Hon’ble President of India. https://t.co/dzL7fgICXm
— Congress (@INCIndia) December 24, 2020
12:38 (IST)
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Priyanka Gandhi slams Centre for ignoring farmers demands
After being detained by the Delhi Police, Priyanka Gandhi hits out at the Centre for ignoring the demands of the farmers. “Only by listening to the demands of the farmers will they solve the problem of the farmers,” she says.
सरकार सिर्फ 5 साल के लिए या 6 साल के लिये नहीं चल सकती, अगर आप विपक्ष को हर चीज के लिए जिम्मेदार ठहराएंगे। अन्नदाता की आवाज को सुनना सरकार की जिम्मेदारी है।
किसानों की मांगों को सुन कर ही किसानों की समस्या का हल निकालेगा।#CongressMarchForFarmers pic.twitter.com/KWljun2l4W
— Congress (@INCIndia) December 24, 2020
12:26 (IST)
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Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad meet President
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury meet President Ram Nath Kovind in Rashtrapati Bhavan to discuss the agricultural laws, reports ANI. “I told the president that these farm laws are anti-farmer. The country has seen that farmers have stood up against these laws,” said Gandhi.
Delhi: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad & Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury visit Rashtrapati Bhavan. Gandhi says, “I told the President that these farm laws are anti-farmer. The country has seen that farmers have stood up against these laws”. pic.twitter.com/4Y8hsQIhgN
— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2020
12:22 (IST)
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Priyanka Gandhi taken into custody by Delhi Police
The Delhi Police has taken Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi into custody, while she was trying to participate in a march to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to submit a memorandum against the new farm laws to President Ram Nath Kovind, reports ANI.
She went on to criticise the government for stopping her party from holding a demonstration against the new farm laws. “Any dissent against the government is classified as having elements of terror,” she added.
Sometimes they say we are so weak that we don’t qualify as Opposition and sometimes, they say that we are so powerful that we have made lakhs of farmers camp at the border (of Delhi) for a month. They should first decide what we are: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi pic.twitter.com/3tPGizShIY
— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2020
12:20 (IST)
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Congress leaders will march to Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet President: Shashi Tharoor
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has said that party members will march to Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet President Ram Nath Kovind and discuss the farm laws, even though the Delhi Police have refused to give permission for the demonstration, reports ANI.
We will march to Rashtrapati Bhavan. We want govt to atone for their complete lack of consulting farmers before passing these bills. I think President has an important moral role in encouraging & guiding govt to not stand on their legislative pride: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor pic.twitter.com/jT3VTLsmnr
— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2020
12:19 (IST)
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Delhi Police refuses permission to Rahul Gandhi to march to Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi Additional District Commissioner of Police Deepak Yadav on Thursday said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been refused permission to march to the Rashtrapati Bhavan with other party leaders to protest against the farm laws, reports ANI. “However, three leaders who have an appointment at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, will be allowed to go,” Yadav adds.
#UPDATE | No permission has been granted for Congress’ march to Rashtrapati Bhavan today. However, three leaders, who have appointment at Rashtrapati Bhavan, will be allowed to go: Additional DCP (New Delhi) Deepak Yadav https://t.co/e6iqr9KIKJ
— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2020
12:07 (IST)
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Thousands of farmers from UP to march to Delhi today
Farmers’ union Kisan Sena announces that thousands of its members from western Uttar Pradesh will march to Delhi today in support of the Centre’s new agriculture laws, reports PTI.
“We have written to the authorities concerned for permission regarding our march to Delhi but have not got reply,” Kisan Sena convener Thakur Gauri Shankar Singh tells PTI. “In any case, around 20,000 of Kisan Sena supporters will be en route to Delhi to meet Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday.
Farmers Protest LATEST Updates: Delhi Jal Board (DJB) vice chairman and AAP MLA Raghav Chadha on Thursday claimed that BJP workers vandalised his office and attacked staff members at the board’s headquarters at Jhandewalan in Delhi.
Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Thursday said the new central farm laws need many amendments and urged protesting farmers to give “concrete suggestions”.
In a joint statement, Opposition parties supporting farmers said that they have registered their ‘strong protest against baseless allegations made by the Centre
A group of 60 farmers from the Kisaan Majdoor Sangh met Narendra Singh Tomar at Krishi Bhawan in Delhi on Thursday and wrote a letter addressed to the Centre, extending their support to the new farm laws
Around 20,000 members of the farmers union Kisan Sena will be marching to Delhi from Western Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, 24 December, in support of farm laws.
The Centre on Thursday once again wrote to farmer unions asking them to decide the date and time for the next round of talks over the three farm laws. “Govt is committed to reaching logical solutions of the issues raised by you,” the letter read
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury later met President Ram Nath Kovind and demanded withdrawal of the three farm laws. “We told the president that the laws are anti-farmer and that farmers and labourers will suffer due to them. The government said these laws are in favour of the farmers, but the country is seeing that farmers are against these laws,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Ghulam Nabi Azad met President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday and sought withdrawal of the recently-enacted farm laws. Gandhi said the Opposition stands with the farmers who have been camping at Delhi’s borders for over a month now, demanding repeal of the legislations.
Earlier, Gandhi had attempted to lead a delegation of Congress leaders to the Rashtrapati Bhavan but was stopped by the Delhi Police. Several leaders including general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and K C Venugopal, and senior leader Randeep Singh Surjewala,were also detained.
Around 20,000 members of the Kisan Sena, meanwhile, will march from western Uttar Pradesh to Delhi to support the Centre’s farm laws.
Braving the harsh cold, thousands of agitating farmers at the Delhi borders on Thursday remained steadfast in their demands to repeal the Centre’s three new agri laws.
Dense fog reduced visibility to just 100 metres in parts of Delhi on Thursday, affecting traffic movement, the India Meteorological Department said, adding the minimum temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, settled at 4.5 degrees Celsius.
Security remained tight at the Delhi borders with hundreds of personnel deployed at Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri as thousands of farmers have been staging their protests at the borders for nearly a month now. This has also led to traffic congestion forcing police to divert vehicular movement.
Taking to Twitter on Thursday, the Delhi Traffic Police alerted commuters about the routes that remained closed owing to farmers’ agitation and suggested them to take alternative roads.
“The Chilla, Ghazipur borders are closed for traffic coming from Noida & Ghaziabad to Delhi because of farmer protests. People are advised to take alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anad Vihar, DND, Apsara,bhopra& Loni borders,” it said in a tweet.
In another tweet, police said Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Saboli and Mangesh borders are closed.
“Pl take alternate routes via Lampur, Safiabad, Palla & Singhu school toll tax borders. Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba & GTK road. Pl avoid Outer Ring Rd, GTK road & NH 44,” the traffic police mentioned.
On Wednesday, the protesting farmers hardened their position and asked the government not to repeat the proposal of “meaningless” amendments that they have already rejected but come up with a “concrete” offer in writing for the resumption of talks.
Reading out a reply to the government’s talks offer during a press conference, farmer leaders said they are ready for dialogue with an open mind if they get a concrete proposal, but made it clear they will not accept anything less than a complete repeal of the three agriculture laws and legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
The sixth round of talks on December 9 was cancelled following a deadlock with the farmer unions refusing to budge from their demand for repealing the three laws.
Enacted in September, the three farm laws have been projected by the central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.
However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of MSP and do away with the mandi system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.
The government has repeatedly asserted that the MSP and mandi systems will stay and has accused the Opposition of misleading the farmers.