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Farmer leaders’ meeting with the central government has concluded, reported ANI. Next meeting will be held on 5 December.
Farmer leaders, in the third round of talks with the Centre, reportedly asked the government to call a special session of Parliament and abolish the farm laws. They also reportedly refused to eat the food offered by the government, and brought their own lunch in stead.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Minister Piyush Goyal were present at the meeting on behalf of the Centre.
Meanwhile, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday, saying that he had reiterated his opposition to the laws and asked him to resolve the issue.
As the farmers protest entered its seventh day on Wednesday with no agreement with the government yet, traffic in Delhi-NCR was badly hit as the agitating farmers continued to block several borders like Singhu and Tikri towards Haryana and Chilla and Gazipur towards Uttar Pradesh, affecting movement of commuters as many were struck in the resultant traffic snarls.
As the stalemate continues, any immediate relief is far from sight.
Farmers on Wednesday demanded that the Centre convene a special Parliament session to repeal the three contentious farm laws, reported PTI.
Transporters apex body AIMTC on Wednesday threatened to halt operations in north India from 8 December, if the government fails to address farmers’ concern.
Agriculture Minister Tomar, who has been leading the talks with the farmers, has urged them to call off the protest, saying the government is ready to “listen, discuss and solve their problems.”
“Representatives of the farmer unions are going to participate in the meeting and will discuss their points. The government will place its views on the points, and they will present their views. Let us see how much of the issue can be resolved,” Tomar told reporters on Wednesday.
The Chilla border on Noida link road remained closed on Thursday for traffic movement amid farmers protests near Gautam Budh Dwar.
Tikri border, Jharoda border and Jhatikra border are also closed for any traffic movement, as are Lampur, Auchandi and other small borders. Singhu border remains closed from both sides.
Meanwhile, Badusarai border is open only for two-wheeler traffic
A group of farmers from Rajasthan have joined the protest at Singhu (Delhi-Haryana) border against Centre's farm laws, reports ANI.
"Around 500 farmers from Rajasthan are reaching here soon. PM said many times that MSP will be protected. So, what's the problem in putting it in writing,” a farmer asked, according to ANI.
Former WWE Champion The Great Khali (Dalip Singh Rana) joined the farmers' protest at the Tikri border on Wednesday.
Heavy security deployment continues at Singhu border with Haryana.
Farmers' leaders have departed from the Singhu border for their meeting with the government on farm laws, according to ANI.
"35 leaders are going to meet the government. We are educated farmers, we know what is good for us. We want these laws to be withdrawn,” a farmer said.
Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh condoles passing of two farmers at protests in Delhi, announces monetary assistance to families.
One carriageway of the Chilla Border from Delhi to Noida has been opened for traffic. However, the other carriageway from Noida to Delhi is still closed, the Delhi Traffic Police said on Thursday.
“We are talking to the farmers to end the blockade here as this is a major route to Delhi. We are hopeful that the roadway will be opened soon,”Abhishek Verma, SP City told ANI, at the Ghazipur border.
Farmer leaders arrive at Vigyan Bhawan for their meeting with the government over the farm laws. According to ANI, 40 farmer leaders are present for talks with the government on farm laws.
“We are hopeful that the talks will be productive. If our demands are not met then the farmers will take part in the Republic Day parade held in Delhi,” farmer leader Rakesh Tikat told ANI at Vigyan Bhawan on Thursday.
Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh arrives at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The two leaders were slated to meet ahead of the farmers’ talks with the Centre over the farm laws.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Minister Piyush Goyal hold talks with farmer leaders at Vigyan Bhawan, reports ANI.
Speaking to the media after his meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh said that he had reiterated his opposition to the laws and asked him to resolve the issue.
“A discussion is going on between farmers and the Centre, there's nothing for me to resolve. I reiterated my opposition in my meeting with Home Minister and requested him to resolve the issue as it affects the economy of my state and security of the nation,” the Punjab CM said, according to ANI.
Bhim Army Chief Chandra Shekhar Azad on Thursday met the protesting farmers at the Singhu border, saying that he would support the farmers till the end.
"If the government becomes a dictator then people should come out on the streets. The government should stop shaming this movement. We're here to support our farmers and will stand by them till the end," he said, according to ANI.
Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic) chief and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa returned his Padma Bhushan award to oppose the farm laws on Thursday.
The leader was presented the Padma Bhushan by President of India Ram Nath Kovind in March 2019, Hindustan Times reports.
“I have returned my Padma Bhushan in protest as farmers have been staging dharnas for the past two months but the Central government is not ready to listen to them. When the BJP government is ignoring our elderly people, who have shifted their protest to Delhi borders, the award is worthless to me,” Dhindsa told Hindustan Times.
Sharing visuals of farmer leaders eating food during the lunch break at Vigyan Bhawan where the talk with the government is underway, ANI quoted a farmer leader as saying:
All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), in a press bulletin, has announced “Massive All India Protest Campaigns for Repeal of New Farm Acts, Electricity Bill & Resisting Corporate Takeover of Agriculture & Food Security of India.”
“The National Working Group of AIKSCC has announced the a mass burning of effigies of Narendra Modi Government and Corporate giants Ambani and Adani will be burnt on 5th December 2020. It is expected that constituents of AIKSCC shall gather to carry out this call in more than 5,000 locations in India,” it said.
In addition, AIKSCC has extended full support to and expressed solidarity with the following campaigns being held all over India:
1. 3 December - Protest Programs being held by constituent organisations all over India demanding repeal of New Farm Acts and Electricity Bill 2020
2. 3 December - Anti-Corporate Day Protest Programs being held by constituent organisations all over India
3. 4 December - Protest March of Mass Organisations at Jantar Mantar, Delhi
4. 4 and 5 December - Protest Meetings, Road Blockades and other forms of protest being held all over India
AIKSCC also expressed shock at the “acts of wanton repression being unleashed against leaders and activists in the protests”; demanded immediate release of all arrested leaders and activists and warned “all governments that any oppression will be met by more determined resistances by the masses.”
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal on Thursday, 3 December, asked ANI if the elderly women at protests look “Khalistani” and pointed out that alleging the protesting farmers were khalistani was “a way of calling farmers of the country as anti-nationals.”
“There are elderly women in farmer protests. Do they look like Khalistanis? It is a way of calling farmers of the country as anti-nationals. This is an insult to the farmers. How dare they call our farmers anti-nationals?” he said.
Agitating farmers have assembled at Ghazipur border between UP and Delhi and are attempting to break through police barricades, reported ANI. Protests are underway at National Highway 24.
Further, according to ANI, Delhi Police has closed one carriageway of NH-24 for Uttar Pradesh to Delhi at Gazipur border as farmer protest continues.
The farmer leaders, present at the meeting with the central government at Vigyan Bhavan, have suggested to the government to call a special session of Parliament and abolish the new farm laws.
The meeting of farmer leaders with the central government has concluded, reported ANI. Next meeting will be held on 5 December.
“Government has no ego,” said Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday, 3 December, after the government’s meeting with farmers.
Tomar also informed that the government will consider the farmers’ demand to allocate a court higher than the SDM court for farmers to take their grievances too.
Addressing “reservation on MSP”, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said:
“I would like to reiterate that the MSP system will continue and we will assure farmers about it.”
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, according to ANI, said, following meeting with farmers, that the government is open to “consider and discuss (sic)” an Ordinance on stubble burning and the Act on electricity.
Tomar also said, according to ANI:
“It was raised in meeting that if trade takes place outside the purview of mandi, it'll take place on the basis of PAN Card, which can be easily acquired by anyone today. So, trader should be registered. So, we will also ensure that the trader gets registered.”
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, following meeting with farmers, according to ANI, said that the Government will contemplate “about seeing that APMC is further strengthened and its usage increases.”
He further said:
“New laws lay down provision for private mandis outside purview of APMC. So, we'll also contemplate about having an equal tax for private as well as mandis under AMPC Act.”
Appealing to farmers to end agitation, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said:
“The government is holding talks and the issue that will come up during discussion will definitely reach to a solution. That is why I appeal to farmers to end their agitation so that people of Delhi don't face problems that they are facing due to protests.”
Som Prakash, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, reportedly said, following the talks with farmer unions that points of discussion have been prepared, and discussions on them will be held on 5 December.
Harjinder Singh Tanda, Azaad Kisan Sangharsh Committee, reportedly told ANI, that they are hopeful.
Tanda, according to ANI, also said:
Speaking to ANI, Baldev Singh Sirsa, farmer leader said that they don’t want amendments, but withdrawal of the laws.
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