Farmers' Protest Updates: The farmer protests against farm laws entered its 27th day today.
Commission agents known as Arhtiyas in Punjab will keep their shops shut for four days from Tuesday in protest against income tax raids allegedly conducted to intimidate them for supporting the farmers' stir against the centre's agriculture laws, according to a body representing them.
The Federation of Arhtiyas said income tax raids have been conducted on the premises of six commission agents in the past a few days.
"We have decided to shut our shops for four days to protest the action of the Income Tax Department against arhtiyas," said Vijay Kalra, president of the federation.
Mr Kalra is among the six commission agents whose premises were raided by the Income Tax Department.
On Saturday, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh too had accused the centre of indulging in "intimidatory tactics" against commission agents by conducting income tax raids on their premises.
The chief minister had termed the raids as "motivated" and a "pressure tactic" to curb their democratic right and freedom.
Here are the Live Updates on farmer protests:
Farmers block all 14 lanes of NH9 at UP Gate for eight hoursFarmers camping at UP Gate on Delhi-Ghaziabad border in protest against the three recent farm laws of the Centre, on Tuesday blocked all 14 lanes of the National Highway 9 for eight hours and also allegedly manhandled a journalist and photographer.
The farmers blocked the arterial road highway from 9 am to 5 pm and lifted the blockade on the carriageway from Delhi to Ghaziabad after repeated requests by the administration.
On getting a complaint about manhandling of journalists, BKU national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait reprimanded a group of youngsters among protesting farmers for misbehaving with journalists.
BKU's state president Rajbir Singh told PTI that the highway was blocked because tractor trolleys of some farmers coming from Bareilly and Rampur districts were intercepted by local police.
Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey said a committee of representatives of all the farmers' outfits camping at the UP Gate has been formed.
The farmers lifted the blockade of one carriageway of the highway after the committee members were apprised of the problems of commuters, he said.
Farmer leaders from UP, Delhi meet Narendra Tomar, extend support to farm laws
Members of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, Noida, and Indian Kisan Union, New Delhi, on Tuesday met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and said that the new farm laws were in the interest of farmers and should not be taken back.
The minister said in tweets that the delegations gave a memorandum in support of the new farm laws and said they will improve the condition of farmers.
"Today, the representatives of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, Noida, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh and Indian Kisan Union, New Delhi, gave a memorandum in support of the new agrarian reform bills and thanked the Prime Minister Narendra Modiji," he said.
"They said that the new agricultural laws brought by the Modi government are in the interest of the farmers and these laws are going to improve the condition of the farmers and should not be withdrawn," he added.
Congress to gherao BJP offices tomorrow across UP in support of farmers' protestThe Congress will hold a statewide protest across Uttar Pradesh in support of the farmers' agitation on Wednesday marking the birth anniversary of Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh.
In a statement issued here on Tuesday, the UP Congress said its party workers will ''gherao'' offices and residences of BJP MPs, MLAs and public representatives in the state in support of protesting farmers, and also hold demonstrations by clapping and beating steel plates.
The party said that despite the unfortunate deaths of some farmers at the protest sites in the national capital, the BJP-led central government has turned a blind eye towards the farming community.
Farmer unions to address queries on farm laws via webinarThe newly-formed social media cell of the farmers' collective announced on Tuesday that a web conference would be conducted to address all queries regarding the three new farm laws and the protest against it.
The webinar, to be hosted on video conference platform Zoom on Thursday noon, will be open for the first "10,000 people" registering on the link, which they would disclose. Those who cannot make it to the first 10,000 can watch the webinar on social media platforms, it said.
"Senior farmer union leaders who are key members of the movement will be answering all sorts of queries during the webinar -- be it on the farm laws or the ongoing agitation," Baljeet Singh Sandhu, social media cell head and Majha Kisan committee vice president, said at a press conference at the Singhu border.
Mr Sandhu also invited the likes of actors Kanagana Ranaut, Mukesh Khanna and Payal Rohatgi, who have been actively voicing their opinion against the farmers'' protest, to participate in the webinar and debate the matter.
Kisan Ekta Morcha, which is the official social media account, publishes updates on the farmer protests, videos of speeches given by union leaders and also counters what they call is "propaganda" pushed by the Centre.
Farmers' unions to write to UK MPs to stop Boris Johnson from visiting India till demands are metWith the protests at Delhi's borders showing no signs of slowing down, farmers' unions on Sunday said they would write to members of UK Parliament to stop Prime Minister Boris Johnson from visiting India for the Republic Day celebrations until their demands were met.
"UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to visit India on January 26 for the Republic Day celebrations. We are writing to British MPs asking them to stop the UK PM from visiting India till the Indian government agrees to meet our demands," said Kulwant Singh Sandhu, a farmer leader from Punjab at the Singhu Border.
Mr Sandhu also said, "In today''s meeting, it was decided what decision will be taken on the proposal sent by the Centre."
On December 15, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar confirmed that Mr Johnson will be attending India's Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2021 as the chief guest, adding that it is symbolic of a new era of India-UK ties.
(ANI)
Why can't government suspend farm laws till winter ends: Prakash AmbedkarVanchit Bahujan Aghadi president Prakash Ambedkar on Tuesday asked why the Union government doesn't suspend the new farm laws till winter gets over as protests on Delhi borders are continuing in chilly weather.
The Union government has a dictatorial attitude and no inclination to listen to farmers who are opposing the laws, he alleged at a press conference.
At least 26 days have passed and protesting farmers are braving 2 degrees Celsius temperature, he said.
"The Modi government should answer why it can't suspend these laws till winter is over," Mr Ambedkar said.
The VBA chief congratulated farmers for bringing to the fore the `fact'' that the new laws would lead to the government stopping the purchase of farm produce.
It will affect food security, Mr Ambedkar claimed.
Narendra Tomar says farm acts envisaged to benefit farmers
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday said the three farm acts brought by the central government are the biggest agricultural reforms in the country so far which will benefit farmers and strengthen Indian agriculture which is the backbone of the Indian economy.
The Minister made the remarks while interacting with members of the international media from the Foreign Correspondents'' Club of South Asia, a group of more than 500 journalists and photographers covering India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Afghanistan and Tibet.
Mr Tomar said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi the focus will be on doubling farmers'' income by 2022.
Farmers block highway near Rampur-Moradabad border, waylay senior cop's carHundreds of protestors blocked a key highway leading to Delhi in western Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday after they were allegedly stopped by police from moving to the national capital to join the farmers' stir against the new agriculture laws.
The protesters, belonging to districts like Rampur, Pilibhit and Moradabad had gathered on the National Highway-24 at the Rampur-Moradabad border in the afternoon amid heavy deployment of police personnel.
Some of the protesters mobbed the official vehicle of a senior police officer while some others confronted other personnel during the chaos that led to a long traffic jam, according to purported videos that surfaced on social media.
One of the videos showed a senior police officer leaving the site in a Toyota Innova but was waylaid by scores of protesters, prompting its driver to reverse it in a rush as the mob kept banging the exteriors of the car.
According to a Moradabad police official, "The law and order situation broke out after the protesters outnumber the personnel deployed on the highway to control the crowd."
Agitating farmers at Ghazipur border open one way of road for commuters
Farmers agitating at Ghazipur border have cleared one side of the road on Tuesday evening to facilitate the traffic. The road connecting Delhi with Uttar Pradesh was blocked completely by farmers in the morning.
Additional District Magistrate, Ghaziabad Shailendra Kumar Singh said, "We insisted the farmer leaders to open the road which was closed since morning."
Mr Singh further added, "Several trolleys of farmers have been stopped for checking at many places. We have told the farmer leaders that now onwards all the trolleys will be allowed to pass only after checking."
A biker passing by told ANI, "It has been very difficult for me to reach office. I commute from Ghaziabad to Delhi everyday. Now the road is open, it is quite a relief."
A commuter travelling from Delhi to Ghaziabad said, "Reopening of this road is convenient for us as we are able to save some time."
Indian-Canadian singer Jazzy B joins farmers at Singhu borderIndian-Canadian singer Jaswinder Singh Bains also known as Jazzy B on Tuesday addressed agitating farmers at the Singhu border.
In his address, Jazzy B said that the farm protest has united farmers from all over the country.
"This protest has united all the farmers from the country. The farmers from Punjab, Haryana and many other states are coming out from their areas. I am thankful to the youth who came to support them. The whole world now knows that this protest is peaceful and many Prime Ministers of foreign countries are in support of the farmers," Jazzy said.
Ballads of protest: Haryanvi artistes pen, sing songs for agitating farmers in streetsA corner of the farmers protest site at the Tikri border on the Haryana side reverberates every day with strains of folk music and songs whose lyrics tell tales of struggle and resistance.
A makeshift performance pavilion has come up in a small space on a blocked national highway where a group of Haryanvi singers are belting numbers to keep the spirit of protesters high.
For Ramdiya Kot, a local folk artiste from Hisar, crooning at the protest site has become a routine affair for the last 10 days.
On Monday evening, he sang the old Haryanvi song "Kissan" written by Jaat Meher Singh, whom he counts as his inspiration.
As he took the stage under the printed white canopy, musicians played ''gadhwa'' (earthen pots) with ''patta'' (leather piece) and other native instruments.
"Art and music plays a big role in any movement. We artistes from Haryana stand in solidarity with farmers. We are also children of farmers. We all are, they feed this country. And today, they have to sit on dharna in their own country. The government should listen to them," said Mr Ramdiya, in his 40s.
As he performed on ground, a diary with songs handwritten lay on the mattress below, while a group of farmers smoked hookah in one corner and another group listened intently.
Congress MLAs walk out of Uttarakhand assembly over farm lawsThe Opposition Congress on Tuesday staged a walkout from the Uttarakhand Assembly in protest against the Centre's new farm laws, saying they were meant to destroy farmers.
The Congress MLAs walked out when state Agriculture Minister Subodh Uniyal accused the party of being hand in glove with middlemen and fomenting the agitation to retrieve its lost political ground.
The Congress members led by Leader of Opposition Indira Hridayesh rose from their seats in protest when Uniyal said they did not seem to have read the new farm laws thoroughly and their party was misleading farmers to suit its own political ends.
Asking why farmers are out in the streets in severe cold if the new farm laws are in their favour as being claimed by the Centre, Hridayesh said the ongoing agitation by farmers has drawn international attention with even Canada supporting the stir.
Accusing the government of being insensitive to the plight of farmers, she said it sits unperturbed while farmers are dying.
The heated exchange between the treasury and opposition benches was witnessed in the Assembly during a debate on the admissibility of an adjournment motion on the new farm laws.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's Convoy Turns Around As Farmers Show Black FlagsHundreds of farmers protesting against new farm laws showed black flags to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar while he was going to Ambala today. The BJP-led government in Haryana has been claiming that only some farmers aren't happy with the new laws. However, the number of farmers, some of who arrived from neighbouring Punjab, has been steadily rising and they have dug in along the border with Delhi.
Farmers' protest: Narendra Tomar says hopeful of protesting unions resuming talks with Centre soonAs farmers' agitation against three farm laws entered its 27th day, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Tuesday he is hopeful that protesting unions would soon complete their internal discussions and resume talks with the government to resolve the crisis.
He met two more peasants' bodies from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh that extended support to the legislations.
"Representatives of different farmers' bodies had come to tell that the laws are good and are in the interest of farmers. They had come to urge the government not make any amendments to the laws," Mr Tomar said after meeting the two groups.
"I am hopeful they (protesting farmers' unions) will soon complete their internal discussions and come forward for talks. We will be able to find a solution successfully," the minister said.
Agriculture Ministry had written to the protesting groups on Sunday, urging them to specify their concerns on the government''s proposal and finalise a date for the next round of talks to end the protests. At least five rounds of formal talks have failed to break the deadlock as the agitating unions have not agreed to anything less than repeal of the laws.
Hopeful that protesting farmer unions will soon decide and resume dialogue with government to find a solution: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
Chilla, Gazipur borders to remain closed for traffic
As farmer protests continue at the Delhi borders, the Chilla and Gazipur borders will remain closed for traffic on Tuesday, according to the Delhi Traffic Police (DTP).
The DTP stated, "The Chilla border is closed for traffic coming from Noida and Ghaziabad to Delhi because of farmer protests. People are advised to take an alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anand Vihar, DND, Apsara and Bhopra borders."
"Gazipur border is also closed for traffic from Delhi to Gaziabad. It was already closed for traffic from Gaziabad to Delhi. Traffic has been diverted from Nizammudin Khattha, Akshardham and Gazipur chowk. Please take an alternate route via Anand Vihar, Apsara, Bhopra and DND borders", the tweet added.
DTP advised people to wear masks, maintain social distancing and keep the hands sanitized.
Today, protesting farmers blocked Delhi''s Ghazipur border completely.
Delhi High Court's women legal forum to fast tomorrow in solidarity with protesting farmers
A forum of women lawyers, social Group of Lawyers of Delhi High Court have decided to fast on Wednesday in solidarity with the ongoing "Satyagrah" by farmers demanding to roll back the recently passed farm laws.
Lawyers associated with the forum demanded to repeal the three farm laws on December 23, the day which is observed as Kisan Diwas.
"It is our belief that while the issue of the Constitutionality of the farm laws being enacted by the Center when agriculture is a state subject is subjudice before the Supreme Court and the issue of the legality of the enactment by a voice vote in the Rajya Sabha is also being heard by the Supreme Court, implementation of irreversible and far-reaching farm laws would render these petitions infructuous and could cause irreparable damage to the farm sector in India," the forum said in a press statement on Tuesday.
The forum includes senior advocates Indira Jaising, Mahalakshmi Pawani, Biswajit BhattacharyaMohan Katarki, Anand Grover and advocates Shadan Farasyat, Prashant Padmanabham, Ritu diwan, etc. It also includes members Shweta Kapoor, Zeba Khair and Iram Majid among others.
It said that the forum lawyers are against dismantling the regulatory mechanism of minimum support price (MSP) and permitting big corporates to negotiate with small farmers, who it said lack the means to enforce or negotiate contracts especially due to the absence of effective legal aid and judicial infrastructure in rural India.
Farmers' protest: Commuters face troubles on Delhi-Meerut Expressway
Commuters on Tuesday faced difficulty due to the closure of both carriageways on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway as protesting farmers blocked the Ghazipur (Delhi-Ghaziabad) border completely.
"This expressway isn't being utilised for the purpose it was constructed. I have been stuck here due to jam," says Gaurav Goyal, a commuter.
Another commuter from Delhi said, "It took me one hour extra to reach office, we are facing problems, I work for a private company, they will not understand I have been marked for half-day."
Traffic from Delhi towards Gazipur and Ghaziabad on Delhi-Meerut expressway affected as both side carriageways closed for traffic said Delhi police.
Update| Chilla border is closed for traffic coming from Noida and Ghaziabad to Delhi because of farmer protests, say Delhi Traffic Police
Indian-Canadian singer Jazzy B addresses agitating farmers at Singhu border in Delhi.
Arhtiyas (commission agents) close Mandis across the state for next 4 days to protest against Income Tax raids on them; visuals from Mandis in Mohali.
"Raids are being conducted to weaken farmers' movement," says Sunil Aggarwal, President, Kharar Market Arhti Association.
Protesting farmers block Ghazipur border
Protesting farmers on Tuesday has blocked Delhi's Ghazipur border completely, as the farmers' protest against new farm laws has entered day 27.
"Ghazipur border has been closed for traffic from Delhi to Ghaziabad. It was already closed for traffic from Ghaziabad to Delhi. Traffic has been diverted from Nizammudin Khattha, Akshardham and Ghazipur Chowk for onward journey via Anand Vihar, Apsara, Bhopra, and Delhi Noida Direct (Flyway) (DND)," said Additional Commissioner of Traffic Police, Outer Range, Delhi.
"We have not received any meeting invitation from Agriculture Minister yet. Farmers have decided they won't go back till govt takes back all 3 Farm laws. It will take more than a month to resolve all issues. Govt will come to us," said Rakesh Tikait, Spokesperson, Bhartiya Kisan Union.
Protesting farmers block Ghazipur (Delhi-Ghaziabad) border completely.
Traffic from Delhi towards Ghazipur and Ghaziabad on Delhi-Meerut Expressway affected as both side carriageways closed for traffic.
We have not received any meeting invitation from Agriculture Minister yet. Farmers have decided they won't go back till government takes back all 3 Farm laws. It will take more than a month to resolve all issues. Government will come to us: Rakesh Tikait, Spokesperson, Bhartiya Kisan Union.
Protesting farmers comfort themselves by lighting bonfire as cold weather conditions continue in the national capital.
Farmers' protest against Centre's three farm laws enters 27th day at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border).
Farmers From Maharashtra Leave For Delhi To Join Protests
Thousands of farmers from Maharashtra on Monday left for Delhi from Nashik to join the ongoing agitation by cultivators seeking the repeal of three agri laws passed by the Centre.
The farmers, who started off in private vehicles, were led by leaders of the Kisan Sabha.
A Kisan Sabha leader said farmers from 21 districts in Maharashtra are on their way to Delhi.
He said agriculturists from Maharashtra have been demanding waiving of ''inflated'' power bills and implementation of the recommendations of the M S Swaminathan Commiittee.