Dilli Chalo Protest| Amit Shah Meets Agriculture Minister As Farmers Refuse To Budge, Traffic Remains Disrupted At Borders

The meeting comes after, the protestors threatened to block the roads to Delhi from five entry points: Sonipat, Rohtak, Jaipur, Ghaziabad-Hapur, and Mathura.

Amid the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of farmers from Punjab, Rajasthan, and other states have gathered at the border of the national capital of Delhi to protest against the new farm bills that were turned into laws by the central government, in September earlier this year. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met at the House of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda on Sunday, held deliberations over the farmers’ protest against the three central farm laws. Which was followed by a second meeting between the Home Minister and Agriculture minister on Monday morning. The meeting comes after, the protestors have threatened to block the roads to Delhi from five entry points: Sonipat, Rohtak, Jaipur, Ghaziabad-Hapur, and Mathura. One of the protesters died last night after suffering a heart attack. This was the second death after their march to Delhi started last week. Farmer Gajjan Singh from a village in Ludhiana, died due to a heart attack on Sunday night at Tikri border, where a large number of protesters were camping. As per sources, his health had deteriorated due to the extreme cold.

Centre ready to hold talks with farmers

With the massive protest going on around the border of Delhi, HM Amit Shah on Saturday said that the government is ready to discuss every problem and demand, but put forward a condition asking the farmers to move to Burari grounds and continue their protests there, to which the farmers refused to call the grounds as open jail. After a meeting on Sunday, the farmers turned down the government's proposal for early talks, and said they should have approached with "an open heart" and the Centre shouldn't have put preconditions. The government's offer was rejected over fears that the protest spots the center suggested can become jails. "We've decided that we'll never go to Burari Park (protest site suggested by the government) as we got proof that it's an open jail. Delhi Police told the Uttarakhand Farmers Association chief that they'll take them to Jantar Mantar but instead locked them at Burari Park," said Surjeet Phul, Bharatiya Kisan Union president.

Farmers refuse to budge

Meanwhile, according to the farmer union leaders, as many as three lakh farmers from around the country have joined the protest march till now, with some women from Shaheen Bagh supporting the protests at the Singhu Border, the farmer agitation has now the support of more than 500 farm unions across the country. On the other hand, all khaps of Haryana have unanimously decided to support the farmers' protest. According to sources, Khaps will gather on Tuesday and will proceed towards Delhi. "We request the Centre to re-consider farm Laws. Everyone has a right to express themselves," Sombir Sangwan, Haryana Khap Pradhan and Dadri MLA told the media. While, the Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday, alleged that the protests have Khalistani links and Punjab’s government is backing the protests. With the issue getting political spark, PM Narendra Modi while addressing an inauguration ceremony of a new National Highway in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi on Monday, said that no one is stopping the farmers to go the old way, we are just trying to protect the small farmers. Raising concerns about the protests, PM Modi said, “We are talking to our farmers and we are working to resolve all their concerns. We will continue to work for our farmers.” “Some states have refused to implement our farm laws. We have introduced these farm laws based on our proven track record.  I am sure that in the future we will see these laws bring fortune to our farmers,” he further said. Meanwhile, Farmer leader Buta Singh, protesting at the Tikri border said on Monday afternoon said, "We spoke with Amit Shah on the phone. We told him we don't want any conditions. All farmer unions will hold a meeting tomorrow afternoon. A delegation will meet with government officials tomorrow. Agitation will continue till our demands are met." The farmers are protesting against the new farm laws for the last five days, have braved water cannons, tear gas, and police barricades, and are currently protesting outside Delhi.