BJP leaders from Punjab today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi amid protests by farmers at Delhi's borders against the Centre's three new farm laws for nearly six weeks. The deadlock over the repeal of the contentious farm laws continued, with the Centre and the farmers unable to get on the same page in the seventh round of discussions. Sources said the government had proposed to discuss the farmers' demand for a legal guarantee for support price of crops, but the farmers' union leaders insisted on discussing the repeal of farm laws. The two sides have agreed to meet again on January 8.
Sanyukt kisan Morcha, the farmers' union which is part of the protests, has called a meeting to decide to decide on future course of action of the farmers protesting against the farm laws. The meeting at the Singhu border is being attended by 40 farm union leaders.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that the central government should regularly talk to farmers, accept their demands to revoke the new farm laws and not make it a prestige issue.
"Why is the central government taking four days in between every meeting with the farmers? The farmers have clarified that central government must withdraw new agricultural laws. In this cold weather, the government should talk to farmers daily and must accept their demands," Mr Gehlot tweeted.
Here are the live updates on farmers' protests:
Issue Will Be Resolved Soon: Punjab BJP Leaders After 2-Hour Meet With PM"PM Modi knows a lot... all will be resolved and something good will happen. I cannot disclose what transpired in the meeting but something good will happen... when something is being conceived there are fears that it might get miscarriage," BJP's Harjit Singh Grewal told news agency PTI after the meeting. The prime minister understands Punjab very well, he is looking after the party's work and has travelled across the state, he said, adding that all issues related to Punjab were discussed in the meeting.
Farmer unions today hinted at intensifying their protest against contentious agriculture laws and said that they would boycott BJP and its allies in National Democratic Alliance (NDA), reported news agency ANI. Addressing a press conference, Krantikari Kisan Union President Darshan Pal said that "Azad Hind Kisan Diwas" will be celebrated on January 23, on the occasion of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's birth anniversary.
As the nation approaches Republic Day, there is no relief for migrant labourers or justice for farmers protesting in the bitter cold, said Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Anand Sharma today, reported news agency ANI. Mr Sharma tweeted, "We are living in strange times. No relief for the migrant labour, no justice for India's farmers fighting for their rights in bitter cold, pouring rain, tear gas and braving lathis. As we approach Ganatantra Diwas, we need to reflect on the state of the republic."
Protesting farmer unions today deferred their proposed tractor march from January 6 to January 7 due to a bad weather forecast, even as they asserted they will intensify their stir in the coming days, reported news agency PTI. Addressing a press conference at Singhu Border, union leaders said thousands of farmers will take out a tractor rally from all protest sites to the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) on January 7. Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav said the decision to defer the march was taken over forecast of bad weather condition on Wednesday.
BJP Leaders From Punjab Meet PM Modi In Delhi Amid Farmers' ProtestBJP leaders from Punjab today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi amid protests by farmers at Delhi's borders against the Centre's three new farm laws for nearly six weeks. BJP leaders Surjit Kumar Jyani, who is also a former Punjab minister, and Harjit Singh Grewal met Prime Minister Modi at his residence. Surjit Jyani was chairing the BJP's Kisan Coordination Committee for interacting with farmers in Punjab last year on the three farm bills which at that time had not been passed by the parliament.
Volunteers of an non-governmental organisation (NGO) are planning to set up a temporary hospital with two beds for the protesting farmers at the Singhu border, reported news agency PTI. The NGO, Life Care Foundation, had set up a medical camp at the Singhu border on November 30 last year. Sadiq Mohammad, a pharmacist and a volunteer of the NGO, said rain delayed their plans. "We had planned to start the emergency hospital from Wednesday, but it has been delayed due to rain. Our tent started leaking. We will install a tent with better waterproofing tomorrow. In another couple of days, the hospital will be set up in a portion of the tent," he said.
"We will deepen and broaden our movement. Earlier it was planned that on 6th we will organise a tractor rally. But now on 7th, we will march with tractors from the expressway on four sides at 11 am. We will approach from Kundli and Tikri. On the eastern side, we will march from Rewasan and Ghazipur. January 9 is the death anniversary of Sir Chhotu Ram. We will remember the peasant leader who gave us Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs). On January 13, Lohri will be celebrated as Farmers' Resolution Day. From tomorrow, we will run an awareness campaign across the country for two weeks," Yogendra Yadav said.
The Delhi Traffic Police today informed that the Chilla and Ghazipur borders will remain closed for traffic, reported news agency ANI. They also advised commuters to take alternate routes.
"The Chilla and Ghazipur Borders are closed for traffic coming from Noida and Ghaziabad to Delhi because of farmer protests. Please take alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anand Vihar, DND, Bhopra and Loni Borders," Delhi Traffic Police tweeted,
"Tikri, Dhansa Borders are closed for any Traffic Movement. Jhatikara Borders is open only for LMV (Cars/ Light Motor Vehicles), two-wheelers and pedestrian movement", they added.
It also informed about alternate routes for entering Haryana.
"Available Open Borders to Haryana are following - Jharoda (Only Single Carriageway/Road), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH-8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera Borders", they tweeted.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav today accused the BJP of favouring wealthy people over farmers, reported news agency PTI. Tweeting in Hindi, Akhilesh Yadav said, "The biggest problem with the BJP government is that it does not consider itself as a public representative (jan pratinidhi) but as wealth representative (dhan pratinidhi)." Hence, for the wealthy people, it is putting farmers' interest at stake, he said, adding that the BJP has forgotten that the ones it is causing harm to constitute two-third of the country's population.
Have Sought Data Of Farmers Registered With PM-Kisan Portal: Mamata BanerjeeTraffic Alert,
- Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) January 5, 2021
Tikri, Dhansa Borders are closed for any Traffic Movement.
Jhatikara Borders is open only for LMV (Cars/ Light Motor Vehicles), two wheelers and pedestrian movement.
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WEAR MASK, MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING, KEEP HAND HYGIENE.
Protesters at Singhu border (Delhi- Haryana) affected due to continuous rainfall#FarmLaws pic.twitter.com/lufaPTNNui
- ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2021
"Why is the central government taking four days in between every meeting with the farmers? The farmers have clarified that central government must withdraw new agricultural laws. In this cold weather, the government should talk to farmers daily and must accept their demands," Mr Gehlot tweeted.
