New Delhi: The ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest march by farmers in the national capital against the three contentious agricultural laws on Tuesday entered the sixth day as they remained unmoved by the appeals of the Centre and affirmed to continue their stir till their demands are heard. In a late-night decision yesterday, Union Minister for Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar agreed to call the agitating farmers for talks at 3 PM today. The minister had earlier set December 3 as the date for a meeting.
“On November 13, we had decided we will meet on December 3, but farmers are in a mood to protest,” the union minister said, adding that the government has invited the union heads for a meeting at Vigyan Bhawan at 3 PM on December 1.
“It is cold and there is coronavirus… We request you to leave the protest and find a solution through discussion,” he said.
Here are the live updates from day six of farmers’ protest:
10:00 PM: Indian Overseas Congress Germany has decided to donate Rs 1 crore for the farmers; says “we decided to reach out our hands to different areas such as medical care, education of their children, financial support for the family of deceased farmers.”
8:30 PM: During the meeting, the government has also asked the farmers’ bodies to identify specific issues related to the newly enacted Acts and submit those by Wednesday for consideration
8:00 PM: Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal holds another meeting with farmers’ leaders from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, at Krishi Bhawan. The meeting is being held in presence of Bharatiya Kisan Union(BKU) representatives.
7:15 PM: All India Kisan Federation President Prem Singh Bhangu said, “Today’s meeting was good & some progress was made. During our next meet on 3rd Dec with govt, we’ll convince them that no clause of Farm law is pro-farmer. Our agitation will continue.”
7:05 PM: After attending the meeting, a member of Farmers’ Delegation, Chanda Singh said, “Our movement against Farm Laws will continue & we’ll definitely take back something from the Govt, be it bullets or a peaceful solution. We’ll come back for more discussions with them.”
7:00 PM: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar also appealed to the farmers to suspend the protests and come for the second round of talks. However, this decision depends on farmers’ unions and farmers, he said.
6:50 PM: Soon after the meeting’s conclusion, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, “The meeting was good and we have decided that the talks will be held on 3rd December. We wanted a small group to be constituted but farmers’ leaders wanted that the talks should be held with everyone, we do not have problem with it.”
6:45 PM: Meeting between the farmers’ leaders and the government concludes; another round of talks to be held on December 3.
6:00 PM: The farmers’ representatives have told Centre that now is not the time to set up a panel or committee to look into the issue. According to a India Today report, the represenative said, “You (Centre) have brought such a law that our land will be taken by big corporates. Do not involve corporates into it. Now is not the time to form a committee. You say that you want to do good to the farmers, we are saying do not do good to us.”
5:50 PM: Delhi: Chilla border (Delhi-Noida Link Road) closed in wake of protesting farmers blocking Delhi to UP Link Road. Delhi Traffic Police has also issued an advisory requesting commuters travelling to Noida to take a U-turn from Ghazipur/Akshardham flyover and take Sarai Kale Khan route.
5:20 PM: During the ongoing meeting with farmers’ leaders, the government said, “You give names of 4-5 people from your organizations & constitute a committee in which there’ll be representatives from govt as well as agricultural experts to discuss new agricultural laws.”
5:00 PM: Makkal Needhi Maiam chief and actor Kamal Haasan said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have a dialogue with farmers agitating in Delhi and redress their grievances. He said, “All he (Prime Minister) has to do is look at my farmers. Have a dialogue, it is long overdue. You must have a dialogue. Because it is very important for the nation. You also believe in the good of the nation. Agriculture must be taken care of. This is not a request.”
Party lines should blur in matters like these and efforts must be taken to address the concerns, he said.
4: 55 PM: With meeting currently underway at Vigyan Bhawan, the government is giving a detailed presentation to the farmers’ leaders on Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act.
4:40 PM: Government leaders are giving statements that they will continue Minimum Support Price (MSP). What is the problem in incorporating this in the bill?: Ajay Chautala, Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) founder on farmers’ protest.
4:20 PM: Police detains Shaheen Bagh activist Bilkis Dadi who reached Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border) to join farmers’ protest.
4:00 PM: Several former sportspersons including Padma Shri and Arjuna awardees have extended their support to the agitating farmers and said they will return their awards in protest against the “force” used against the peasants en route to Delhi. Among them are Padma Shri and Arjuna awardee wrestler Kartar Singh, Arjuna awardee basketball player Sajjan Singh Cheema and Arjuna awardee hockey player Rajbir Kaur. They said they will proceed to Delhi on December 5 and will place their awards outside the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The sportspersons also slammed the Centre and Haryana government for using water cannons and teargas against the protesting farmers to stop them from going to Delhi.
3: 50 PM: Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal hold meeting with farmers’ leaders at Vigyan Bhawan.
3: 40 PM: During a visit to the Burari protest site, Delhi Cabinet Minister Kailash Gehlot said, “There should be a proper dialogue and Centre should accept all demands proposed by farmers as they are genuine. My purpose of visiting protest sites is to ensure basic facilities for protesting farmers.”
3:30 PM: The face of Shaheen Bagh and the anti-CAA protest, activist Bilkis Dadi said she will be joining the farmers’ protest today. She said, “We are daughters of farmers, we’ll go to support farmers’ protest today. We will raise our voice, the government should listen to us.”
3:25 PM: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar arrives at Vigyan Bhawan for meeting with farmers’ leaders. Speaking to media, Tomar said, “Som Parkash ji, Piyush Goyal ji and I will be present in the meeting. The options which we will offer to them will depend on the exact demands which they present.”
3:10 PM: Farmer leaders reach Vigyan Bhawan for talks.
3:03 PM: We’ve seen some ill-informed comments by Canadian leaders relating to farmers in India. These are unwarranted especially when pertaining to internal affairs of a democratic country. It’s also best that diplomatic conversations aren’t misrepresented for political purposes: MEA
3:00 PM: Speaking from the Ghazipur-Ghaziabad (Delhi-UP) border, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) National President Naresh Tikait said, “Government has called the Punjab delegation at 3 pm. Later, the government will hold meeting with delegations from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi at 7pm today. We all want final decision on matter.”
2.54 PM: Meeting between Centre and farmers to begin shortly.
The central government has called a meeting with all 32 agitating farmers unions at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi at 3 PM. Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah along with Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal held a meeting for over three hours over the farmers protest against the Centre’s new agriculture reform laws.
2.51 PM:
Delhi: Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad joins farmers' protest at Ghazipur-Ghaziabad (Delhi-UP) border. pic.twitter.com/swTxbVbiwt
— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2020
2.15 PM: Security Forces on Alert as More Farmers Likely to Join ‘Delhi Chalo’ Protest
Security forces have been alerted and asked to show restraint as the number of farmers raging against the Centre’s three agricultural laws keeps rising. According to an NDTV report, a few more farmer unions from Nainital and Amritsar will join the agitation in Delhi.
2.10 PM: The Central Government should consider and treat their (farmers) demands with an open heart, says Punjab Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu.
1.11 PM:
I will attend the meeting called by the government at 3 pm today: RS Mansa, State President, Punjab Kisan Union#FarmerProtest pic.twitter.com/O39DVzu20u
— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2020
12.28 PM: Bhim Army Chief joins farmers’ stir at Delhi-UP border.
Bhim Army and its chief Chandrashekhar Azad have joined the protest at the Ghazipur-Ghaziabad border which connects Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
11.03 AM: Senior BJP leaders arrive at party president JP Nadda’s residence ahead of meeting with farmers.
Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrives at the residence of BJP President JP Nadda, to hold a meeting over farmers protest https://t.co/s0UGQFlPau pic.twitter.com/ASeBE3y5mW
— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2020
11.03 AM: Farmer leaders have been invited for talks today at 3pm. The Government is always ready for talks, confirms Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
10.57 AM: Protesting farmers use a tractor to remove barricading done at Ghazipur-Ghaziabad (Delhi-UP) border.
#WATCH Protesting farmers use a tractor to remove barricading done at Ghazipur-Ghaziabad (Delhi-UP) border#FarmersProtest #Ghaziabad pic.twitter.com/g3VfCMFEAI
— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2020
10.50 AM: Delhi Autorickshaw Union, Taxi Union join ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to show solidarity with protesting farmers.
“We’re with protesting farmers like the entire country. But I’d like to clarify that Delhi autorickshaws & taxis won’t go on strike. We’ve already been out of work for 4 months & can’t afford strikes,” says Rajendar Soni, Mahamantri, Delhi Autorickshaw Union & Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union.
9.44 AM: Haryana farmers raise slogans, show black flags state home minister Anil Vij.
#WATCH Farmers in Ambala raised slogans of 'Kisan Ekta Zindabad' and showed black flags to Haryana minister Anil Vij outside Panjokhra Sahib Gurudwara yesterday. #Haryana pic.twitter.com/kdpbSOvel1
— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2020
8.09 AM:
There are more than 500 groups of farmers in the country, but the Govt has invited only 32 groups for talks. The rest haven't been called by the govt. We won't be going for talks till all groups are called: Sukhvinder S Sabhran, Jt Secy, Punjab Kisan Sangarsh Committee in Delhi pic.twitter.com/jYGQlEMKSk
— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2020
7.14 AM: The Delhi Police has also registered an FIR at Alipur police station against unidentified people in connection with a clash between farmers and security personnel at the Singhu border last week. According to the report, the protesters turned violent and tried to enter Delhi in large numbers and the Delhi and Haryana police used necessary minimum force to prevent them from crowding amid the coronavirus pandemic.
7.07 AM: Singhu and Tikri borders are still closed for vehicular movement.
Traffic Alert
Tikri border is closed for any Traffic Movement.
Badusarai and Jhatikara Borders are open only for two wheeler trafficAvailable Open Borders to Haryana are following Borders Jharoda,Dhansa ,Daurala,Kapashera, Rajokri NH 8,Bijwasan/Bajghera,Palam vihar and Dundahera— Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) December 1, 2020
Traffic Alert
Singhu Border is still closed from both sides. Please take alternate route.Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba Chowk & GTK road.Traffic is very very heavy. Please avoid outer ring road from signature bridge to Rohini &Vice versa, GTK road, NH 44 & Singhu border— Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) December 1, 2020
7.05 AM: Meanwhile, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad is expected to join the farmers’ protest at Delhi’s Ghazipur border at 11 AM Tuesday.
7.03 AM: On Monday, experts warn their agitation could well be a COVID-19 superspreader as there have been few signs of social distancing during the protests that started last week with the farmers, banded under various organisations, leaving their homes and moving towards Delhi.
6.54 AM: Security personnel continue to guard Singhu and Tikri borders between Delhi and Haryana.
Highlights from Day 5:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi on Monday, claimed that the Opposition was inciting farmers to fight against the farm laws and deceiving them for political gains.
“The farmers are being deceived on these historic agriculture reform laws by the same people who have misled them for decades,” PM Modi said. He reiterated that farmers who wanted to follow the old system of trading referring to the mandis’ where they can get the MSP are still free to do so and the three laws only give them new options to sell for more.
Meanwhile, the Congress launched a social media campaign to muster support for the farmers and said its members will extend assistance to the protesters. The AAP and the Left parties have also asked their units and workers abd decided to join the ongoing farmers’ stir.
Meanwhile, Delhi-Haryana borders at Singhu and Tikri continued to remain blocked through the night as farmers, mainly from Punjab, protested by lighting candles amidst Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrations. The Ghazipur-Ghaziabad (Delhi-UP) border is also closed for vehicular traffic.
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