Centre has invited farmers for a fresh round of talks.
Thousands of farmers marched to the Raj Bhavan in Patna on Tuesday, calling for the central government's new agricultural laws to be scrapped and joining the massive demonstrations in several parts of the country.
The march started from Patna's famous Gandhi Maidan and the police blocked the protest at Dak Bungalow Chowk, using barricades and batons, resulting in a clash. The protesters were mainly led by members of various Left parties and unions.
Here are the live updates on farmer protests in India:
Farmers Protest: Congress Demands Legal Sanctity To Farmers' Demands, Says "Bring New Laws"
Ahead of crucial talks between the Centre and agitating farmers, the Congress on Wednesday demanded legal sanctity to the demands of farmers, including that on ensuring minimum support price, reported news agency PTI. Addressing a joint press conference, Congress leaders Rajeev Shukla and Govind Dotasra said the government must immediately repeal the three new farm laws and bring fresh ones after incorporating the demands of farmers. Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet that the youth, public and farmers are being attacked by the Modi government.
Farmers Protest: With Green Jalebis, Marriage Procession, Farmers Look At Unique Ways To Grab Eyeballs
Serving "green jalebis" to taking out a "baraat" (wedding procession), farmers protesting at Singhu border outside Delhi are using innovative ways to communicate their grievances and demands to the central government, reported news agency PTI. A group of farmers from Mohali in Punjab have been serving special green jalebis (sweet), saying it symbolised the colour of their crops and the prosperity associated with it. "We have been distributing green jalebis from the past few days. Nearly five quintals of the sweet are distributed everyday," Jasvir Chand, a protesting farmer, said.
Farmers Protest: Protesting Farmers Will Bring BJP Government Down To The Street, Says Akhilesh Yadav
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said the protesting farmers will bring down the BJP government at the Centre and predicted his own party's victory in the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, reported news agency PTI. "Farmers will bring the arrogant BJP government down to the street," he said. Akhilesh Yadav attacked the government in tweets and at a press conference after Urdu poet Munnawar Rana's daughter Somaiyya Rana, Bahujan Samaj Party's Masood Alam and former MLA Ramesh Gautam joined his party.
Farmers Protest: "Modi Government Making Every Effort To Increase Farmers' Income," Says Hema Malini
Actor-politician Hema Malini today pitched for the three new farm laws, saying the Narendra Modi government has now given farmers more options to sell their crops, reported news agency PTI. "Ever since the BJP-led government came to power, it is making every effort to increase the farmer's income," Mathura's BJP MP told reporters through a video link. Earlier, she also talked to officials through video conferencing. Raising slogans of "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan", Hema Malini praised both soldiers and farmers.
Farmers Protest: Farmers Write To Centre, Take Hard Line On Agenda For Dec 30 Talks
Protesting farmer unions today wrote to the Centre on the talks scheduled between the two sides tomorrow, saying the discussion will only be on the modalities of repealing the three legislation and giving a legal guarantee on the minimum support price, reported news agency PTI. The government has invited the protesting farmers for the sixth round of talks on Wednesday.
Farmers Protest: Narendra Tomar, Piyush Goyal Meet Amit Shah A Day Before Crucial Talks With Farmers
A day before the next round of talks between the Centre and the farmers protesting against the three new farm laws, Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal met senior BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah, reported news agency PTI. Sources said they discussed and finalised the government's position for the Wednesday meeting.
Farmers Protest: Farmers' Bodies Protesting Against New Laws Against Damage To Mobile Towers, Public Property
The farmers' bodies protesting against the Centre's new farm laws are against any act which causes damage to mobile towers or other public or private property, a senior leader of one of Punjab's largest farmer organisations said on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI. He said various protesting farmer outfits have asked their supporters and workers not to indulge in such activities.
Farmers Protest: Opposition Will Decide Next Course Of Action, If Centre Ignores Farmers' Issues, Says Sharad Pawar
If the Centre ignores the farmers' issues again in the December 30 meeting, opposition parties will sit and decide next course of action, says Sharad Pawar, reported news agency PTI.
4 Crore Bengal Residents Denied Benefits Of 80 Central: Union minister
Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Monday claimed that over four crore residents of West Bengal have been denied the benefits of 80 central government welfare schemes by the Mamata Banerjee administration.
Participating in a door-to-door outreach campaign in Panihati assembly constituency in the northern outskirts of the city, Mr Sekhawat said that the West Bengal government has so far deprived 76 lakh farmers of the state of Rs 4,200 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.
"The Mamata Banerjee government has denied the people of the state the benefits of 80 welfare schemes of the Modi government aimed at helping the poor, Dalits, tribals and people from the marginalised sections," the BJP leader said during an interaction with locals at Panihati.
Anna Hazare To Launch Agitation In Support Of Farmers In Delhi Next Month
Social activist Anna Hazare on Monday said he will launch an agitation in New Delhi in January on issues concerning farmers.
In his letter dated December 28, issued from his native village Ralegan Siddhi of Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district, he said, that he has decided to again sit protest in Delhi from next month.
On December 15, Anna Hazare wrote to Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and warned of resuming hunger strike if the Centre does not fulfil his demands including the implementation of the recommendations made by MS Swaminathan Commission.
Thousands March To Governor's House In Patna, Demand Farm Laws Scrapped
Thousands of farmers marched to the Raj Bhavan in Patna on Tuesday, calling for the central government's new agricultural laws to be scrapped and joining the massive demonstrations in several parts of the country.
Tens of thousands of farmers are camping out on highways near New Delhi for over a month demanding a repeal of the new laws they fear will lead to corporate dominance of the farm sector and erode their incomes.
Kerala Farmers Send 16 Tonnes Of Vazhakulam Pineapple To Farmers Protesting In DelhiThe ongoing farmers' protest at the borders of the national capital enters its second month and people from across the country are expressing their support and solidarity with the demonstrators. While some are joining the protest, others are sending their contributions to show their support. Recently, a farmers' association in Kerala sent a truckload of pineapples to Delhi for free distribution among the farmers. The cost of the fruits and the transport expenditure was reportedly borne by the Pineapple Farmers Association.
Trucks, loaded with 16 tonnes of pineapples, were sent on Thursday night from Vazhakulam - a town in Kerala's Ernakulam District, popularly referred to as the 'Pineapple City'. For the uninitiated, Vazhakulam pineapple is deemed to be the sweetest pineapple in India and received the GI tag in 2009.
Read 1,500 Mobile Towers Damaged In Punjab Amid Farmers' Anger Against Jio, Amarinder Singh Issues Warning More than 1,500 of Reliance Jio's 9,000 telecom towers in Punjab have been put out of action, allegedly by farmers protesting against the farm laws, disrupting service in parts of the state. A representative of the telecom company told NDTV that the towers have taken a hit due to physical damage, power disruption or theft of generator. Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh issued a stern warning on Monday against vandalisation of mobile towers and disruption of telecom services in the state, and asked the police to take strict action in such cases.
Read Protestors Do Yoga On Highway, Submit Memorandum To Noida Administration
Farmers demonstrating against the Centre''s new agri laws on Monday performed yoga on the Delhi-Noida Link Road at the Chilla border where they have been camping for 28 days now.
The road remained closed for Noida to Delhi movement but was open for commuters travelling from Delhi to Noida, according to a police official.
Centre Should Take Farmers' Protests "Very Seriously", Says Sharad Pawar
The Centre should take the farmers' agitation "very seriously" and there should be a dialogue between the two sides, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar said today, two days before another round of talks was scheduled to take place between the government and farmers.
Mr Pawar, a former Union agriculture minister, said it is a matter of concern that farmers are protesting on the roads in the biting cold amid a deadlock with the Centre on the new contentious agri laws.
Punjab Teacher Cycles 225 Km To Join Farmers' Protest At Delhi's Tikri BorderManoj Kumar, who is employed as a teacher in a government school in Punjab's Sangrur district, cycled 225 kilometres to reach Delhi's Tikri border on Monday to express solidarity with the farmers who have been protesting the agricultural laws for over a month.
Speaking to ANI, Mr Kumar appealed to people to join the farmers' agitation as it has become a "public interest movement."
"Farmers have been protesting for the last three months. They protested for two months in Punjab and they have been protesting for the past one month in Delhi. I cycled 225 km from Punjab's Sangrur to here to support and show solidarity with them. The farm laws if implemented will be "disastrous" for us," Mr Kumar told ANI.
Read