14:06 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
Today’s meeting will be decisive, says Union minister
Ahead of the sixth round of talks between the Centre and farmer groups on the new agriculture laws, Union minister Som Parkash said that Wednesday’s discussion will be decisive, reports NDTV. On the other hand, Sukhwinder Singh Sabra, Joint Secretary of the Punjab unit of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee said his association did not think that an agreement will be reached, according to Scroll.in
13:55 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
Reliance Jio writes to Punjab CM, DGP seeking intervention against vandalism of Jio sites
Reliance Jio Infocomm has written to Punjab CM Amarinder Singh and Punjab DGP seeking their intervention into the “incidents of sabotage and vandalism of Jio Network sites” in Punjab by unknown persons, reports India Today.
Amid the ongoing farmers’ protest in Punjab and Delhi borders, reports have suggested that over 176 mobile signal transmitting sites have been vandalised in Punjab over the past few days. As the farmers reject the farm reform laws brought by the Centre, there is a growing perception among farmers that billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani stand to benefit from the reforms.The protesting farmers have put up banners against Reliance Jio and others and called for a boycott of their products. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had appealed to the farmers to not damage telecom infrastructure in the state.
13:16 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
Security tightened around Delhi borders as farmers brave harsh winters
Thousands of farmers agitating against the three new central agriculture laws stayed put at their agitation venues near Delhi, which is going through a harsh spell of winter, unrelenting in their demand of withdrawal of the legislations.
On Wednesday, a cold wave swept Delhi as the minimum temperature dipped to 3.5 degrees Celsius. It is likely to get even colder on New Year’s Eve, the India Meteorological Department predicted, as dry and icy winds barrelled through the plains. The farmers protesting against the new agri laws had reached Singhu border over a month ago.
The Centre and the protesting farmer unions will resume stalled talks on Wednesday with the latter sticking to their hardline position that the parleys will only be on the modalities of repealing the three new agri laws and giving a legal guarantee on the MSP among other issues.
Security remained tight at the Delhi borders with hundreds of personnel deployed at Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri border points where the farmers have been camping.
-PTI
12:58 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
Kejriwal provide free WiFi service for protesting farmers at Singhu border
Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal has decided to provide free WiFi spots near the Singhu border where the farmers are protesting to help them get in touch with their families, reports News18. Party leader made the announcement citing complaints from the farmers that the cellular reception was weak.
12:27 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
Ready to make amendments in farm laws if needed, says Rajnath Singh
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also said that the farm laws have been made in the interest of farmers and the protesting farmers should see their implementation for two years and engage in a “logical debate” with the government.
Asserting that the Centre will have to find a solution to the issues, Singh said, “Some forces have tried to create some misperceptions amongst farmers. We have also talked to several farmers. My only request to farmers is that clause-wise discussion based on logic should be done and not seek ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. We will find a resolution to the problem. I have myself seen the laws and I am aware of the problems of the farmers. The farmers should at least see the implementation of these laws for two years as an experiment. We will be ready to make necessary amendments if there is a need. If the farmers want experts to talk with the government for amendment in certain clauses, we are entirely flexible.”
“There is no question of being insensitive as far as the subject of farmers is concerned. Our farmers are holding demonstrations and I am not the only one pained. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pained as well,” he told ANI.
12:26 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
Farmers’ economy of backbone: Rajnath Singh amid protests
During an interview with news agency ANI, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called farmers “annadatas” and “backbone of the economy.” Singh strongly disapproved of remarks such as “Naxals” or “Khalistanis” and said “allegations should not be made by anyone” against them. “These allegations should not be made by anyone against farmers.
“We express our deepest respect towards our farmers. Our heads bow in deference and respect towards our farmers. They are our ‘annadatas‘. In the time of economic recession, the farmers have borne the responsibility of taking the economy out of trouble. They are the economy’s backbone. They have taken the country out of troubled waters on several occasions,” Singh told ANI.
#WATCH These allegations should not be made by anyone against farmers. We express our deepest respect towards farmers. They are ‘annadatas’: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on being asked about farmers being termed ‘naxals’ and ‘khalistanis’ pic.twitter.com/d8B8i3C8qc
— ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2020
12:20 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
Centre, farmer unions to resume stalled talks today
The Centre and the protesting farmer unions will resume stalled talks on Wednesday with the latter sticking to their hardline position that the parleys will only be on the modalities of repealing the three new agri laws and giving a legal guarantee on the MSP among other issues.
Ahead of the crucial sixth round of talks after a three-week hiatus, Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal on Tuesday met senior BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah. Sources said they discussed and finalised the government’s position for the meeting.
Tomar, the minister for Agriculture, and Goyal, the minister for Food and Consumer Affairs, and MoS Commerce and Industry Som Parkash have been representing the Centre at the talks with the farmers. Tomar on Monday said he is hopeful of an early solution to the impasse.
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates: The Centre and the protesting farmer unions will resume stalled talks on Wednesday with the latter sticking to their hardline position that the parleys will only be on the modalities of repealing the three new agri laws and giving a legal guarantee on the MSP among other issues.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday in an exclusive interview with news agency ANI, appealed to the farmers to engage the government in a logical debate on every clause of the new agricultural legislations, and allow the administration “to do the needful to address their problems”.
Ahead of the crucial sixth round of talks after a three-week hiatus, Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal on Tuesday met senior BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah. Sources said they discussed and finalised the government’s position for the meeting.
Tomar, the Minister for Agriculture, and Goyal, the Minister for Food and Consumer Affairs, and MoS Commerce and Industry Som Parkash have been representing the Centre at the talks with the farmers. Tomar on Monday said he is hopeful of an early solution to the impasse.
The Centre on Monday invited the 40 protesting farmer unions for the next round of talks on December 30 on all relevant issues to find a “logical solution” with “open mind” to the prolonged impasse over the three new agri laws that was enacted in September.
But in its letter on Tuesday, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella organisation which represents the farmer unions, said the modalities for repealing the three contentious laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) must be part of the agenda.
The Morcha further said the agenda should also include amendments to be made and notified in the Commission for the Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance, 2020 to exclude farmers from its penal provisions.
Through the letter, the Morcha also formally accepted the government’s invitation for the dialogue.
The letter also stated that withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 to protect the interests of farmers should also be part of the agenda.
The fifth round of talks was held on December 5, while the sixth round originally scheduled for December 9 was called off after an informal meeting of Home Minister Shah with some union leaders failed to reach any breakthrough.
The government had, however, followed up Shah’s meeting with a draft proposal sent to the unions in which it had suggested 7-8 amendments to the new laws and written assurance on the MSP procurement system. It has ruled out a repeal of the three agri laws.
In a letter to the farmer unions, Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Aggarwal on Monday invited them for the talks at 2 pm on Wednesday at Vigyan Bhavan in the national capital.
The farmers had also written to the government on 26 December listing the agenda.
In the latest letter, the Morcha pointed out that in its 26 December communication to the government, it had mentioned “changes” by mistake instead of “withdrawal” in the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020.
Farmer unions also deferred to Thursday their proposed tractor march against the contentious agriculture laws, so that the rally does not clash with their talks with the government.
Thousands of protesting farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at three Delhi border points — Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri — for the past 31 days, demanding a repeal of the three farm laws and legal guarantee for MSP.
The Congress demanded legal sanctity to the demands of farmers including that on ensuring the MSP.
Addressing a joint press conference, Congress leaders Rajeev Shukla and Govind Dotasra said the government must immediately repeal the three farm laws and bring fresh ones after incorporating the demands of farmers and then get them passed by Parliament.
Shukla also said it was wrong on the part of the government to dub the farmers agitation as political as it is an attempt to defame farmers.
NCP supremo and former agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, meanwhile, accused the Centre of bulldozing the farm laws without consulting states and asserted that agriculture cannot be run “sitting in Delhi” as it involves farmers toiling in distant villages.
Pawar also raised questions about the composition of the three-member ministerial group negotiating with the unions, saying the ruling party should have put forward leaders with “in-depth” understanding of agriculture and farmers’ issues.
In an interview with PTI, the former union minister said the government needs to take the protests seriously and it was “unfair” on the part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to blame opposition parties for the agitation by farmers.
He said the opposition parties will take a call on their future course of action on Wednesday if the government fails to resolve the impasse.
The three farm 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 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.