Farmers' Protest: Farmers Observe Half-Day Fast On Kisan Diwas, Call On Further Talks With Centre Likely | Top Developments

The farmers’ agitation has entered Day 28th on Wednesday and farmers decided to skip their lunch as a symbolic protest to the three farm laws.

Image: PTI

Farmers Protest:  As the ongoing agitation by the farmers at the Delhi-Noida border enters its 28th day, a decision on the next round of talks with the Centre will be decided by the farmers union. Today, on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, farmers skipped a meal protesting against the three agriculture laws, recently passed by Parliament. Farmers have also called for intensifying the agitation till they decide on the Centre call to hold a meeting and chalked out a strategy to counter the government’s outreach program, which is aimed at propagating the reforms and the benefits to the farmer community. Here are the top developments of farmers’ protest:

•  On the occasion of Kisan Diwas 2020, which is observed on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, farmers said that they are all set to intensify their protests. Farmers skipped lunch as a symbolic protest to the three farm laws. The Congress will hold a statewide protest across Uttar Pradesh.
• The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and its associate unions said they will observe December 23 as “Skip Lunch” day to express solidarity with the farmers.
• About 32 farmer union leaders will meet on Wednesday to decide the next course of action — pertaining to further talks with the government. The Union agriculture minister on Sunday wrote a letter to the leaders and asked them to fix a convenient date for the next round of talks. The leaders met on Tuesday but the date will be finalised today.
• Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday met representatives of two farmer groups who pledged support for the new farm laws and demanded their continuation without changes.
• The Indian Kishan Union and Kisan Sangharsh Samiti submitted a memorandum demanding the continuation of minimum support price and modernisation of mandis. “Seventy per cent farmers should not suffer due to 30% agitating against new laws. We are progressive farmers and we all know that these laws will make farming and agri trade competitive in our country. We will launch a protest if the government succumbs to pressure from agitating farmers,” IKU president Ram Kumar Walia said.
• Farmers camping at UP Gate on the Delhi-Ghaziabad border on Tuesday blocked all 14 lanes of the National Highway 9 for eight hours.
• From December 25 to 27, farmers will halt toll collection in Haryana. Farmers have also decided to band plates during PM Modi’s Mann ki Baat on December 27.
• On December 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address some farmers virtually, which will coincide with the 30th day of the ongoing protest.
• Harpreet Singh, a farmer from Punjab, objected to Punjab BJP using his photo on its Facebook page to accompany a post which says minimum support price will continue. Harpreet said he is sitting with the protesters at the Singhu border and his photo was used without his permission.