LIVE: Farm leaders reject Centre's proposal to put agriculture laws on hold

The protests by farmers against the three farm laws passed by the government entered its eighth week on Thursday. Farmers have been protesting against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance, and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 for almost two months at Delhi’s borders demanding repeal of the laws.

The Centre on Wednesday told the farmers that the government is ready to postpone the implementation of the farm laws for eighteen months and asked farmers’ union representatives to reflect upon the proposal. The farmers’ union representatives will again meet the Centre on January 22 to discuss the proposal but farm leaders have been consistently demanding a total rollback of these laws.

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• JAN 21, 2021 08:47 PM IST

  Govt procures paddy worth ₹1.08 lakh cr

  The government has procured paddy worth ₹1.08 lakh crore so far in this kharif marketing season at the minimum support price (MSP) amid farmers' protest at various Delhi borders.

  The kharif marketing season stars from October.

  "In the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2020-21, Government continues to procure Kharif 2020-21 crops at MSP from farmers as per existing MSP schemes," the Food Ministry said in a statement.

• JAN 21, 2021 08:14 PM IST

  Farm leaders reject Centre's proposal to put agriculture laws on hold for a year and half

  Samyukt Kisan Morcha issued a statement and confirmed that the farmers have rejected the proposal by government to put the farm laws on hold for a year and a half. "In a full general body meeting of Samyukt Kisan Morcha today, the proposal put forth by the government yesterday was rejected. A full repeal of 3 laws and enacting legislation for remunerative MSP for all farmers were reiterated as the pending demands of the movement," ANI reported the front as saying.

• JAN 21, 2021 06:17 PM IST

  SC-appointed panel starts consultation on agri laws; interacts with farm bodies from 8 states

  The Supreme Court-appointed panel on the new agri laws on Thursday started its consultation process and interacted with 10 farmer organisations from eight states, including Uttar Pradesh.

• JAN 21, 2021 01:58 PM IST

  SAD MP Chandumajra welcomes govt proposal but wants repeal of laws

  Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP Prem Singh Chandumajra welcomed the Centre's proposal of suspending farm laws for one and a half years. He, however, asserted that the government should not delay the repeal of these three farm laws, reported ANI.

• JAN 21, 2021 01:28 PM IST

  Farmers to take up Republic Day tractor rally issue with union minister tomorrow

  Darshan Pal, Krantikari Kisan Union leader, said that the decision regarding shifting the venue of tractor parade was not acceptable. He said that the farmers' unions representatives will take out the rally on the Outer Ring Road in New Delhi, ANI reported. He also said that this point will be discussed during Friday's talks with the union leaders and the Delhi police. The police had asked the farmers to shift the proposed rally to the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway.

• JAN 21, 2021 01:25 PM IST

  Darshan Pal, farmer leader, says meeting regarding tractor parade to be taken up again during Round 11

  Govt has said tractor parade on R-Day can't be conducted on Delhi's Outer Ring Road, due to security reasons. We're clear that we'll conduct tractor parade there only. After tomorrow's meeting with Centre,we'll hold another meeting with police: Darshan Pal, Krantikari Kisan Union pic.twitter.com/cHrRlTb74U

  — ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2021

  The Krantikari Kisan Union chief highlighted that farmers' unions representatives are certain that the tractor parade will be conducted on the Outer Ring Road.

• JAN 21, 2021 01:12 PM IST

  BKU says no farmers shall return home until laws are repealed

  Farmers are struggling with their families in the harsh cold and rain for everyone so that no one sleep hungry in future.#NoRepealNoGharWapsi pic.twitter.com/ng3pHSZB9t

  — BKU EKTA UGRAHAN (@Bkuektaugrahan) January 21, 2021

  Using the hashtag, NoRepealNoGharWapsi, BKU's Ugrahan wing in a tweet said that farmers will continue protests so that in future citizens of the country do not go to sleep hungry. It said, "Farmers are struggling with their families in the harsh cold and rain for everyone so that no one sleep hungry in future."

• JAN 21, 2021 01:07 PM IST

  Youth Akali Dal workers stage protests against farm laws

  

  Youth Akali Dal members raise slogans against Centre in Bathinda (Sanjeev Kumar/HT Photos)

  Members of the Akali Dal's youth wing on Thursday protested against the farm laws passed by the Centre outside district administration complex in Bathinda.

• JAN 21, 2021 11:57 AM IST

  Montek Singh Ahluwalia asks govt to build consensus on farm laws

  Former planning commission chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Wednesday said Centre needs to build a consensus among people through discussions. "I think that one general point arises is that when you have reforms that are going to affect people, then discussion and participation et cetera is part of the process of consensus building," Ahluwalia was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

• JAN 21, 2021 10:49 AM IST

  Delhi Police Joint CP arrives at Singhu for discussions

  Delhi: Delhi Police Joint CP SS Yadav arrives at Mantram Resort near Singhu border for a meeting with farmers on their Republic Day tractor rally https://t.co/jUXvDd9Tyr pic.twitter.com/CiFwzoRUbK

  — ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2021

  Delhi police officials and farmers' unions leaders will hold discussions regarding the Republic Day tractor rally which farmers' unions leaders are planning to take out to protest the three new laws.

• JAN 21, 2021 10:12 AM IST

  R-day tractor rally: Police officers, farmers' unions leaders to meet

  Delhi: A meeting between senior police officers and farmers will take place today on the farmers' Republic Day tractor rally

  — ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2021

  Police officers and farmers' unions representatives will meet on Thursday to discuss about the tractor rally farmers are planning to take out on Republic Day.

• JAN 21, 2021 09:40 AM IST

  Ludhiana administration announces compensation package

  Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma on Thursday said that four families will receive compensation as their family members died while agitating against government's farm laws.

• JAN 21, 2021 08:39 AM IST

  Dausa MP Jaskaur Meena says farmers’ agitation led by terrorists

  BJP legislator from Rajasthan's Dausa Jaskaur Meena said that the farmers agitating at Delhi's border are terrorists. "Terrorists are sitting there and the terrorists have AK-47s with them. They have pitched the Khalistan flag," she was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

• JAN 21, 2021 08:36 AM IST

  KPCC president, former CM detained while protesting against farm laws

  Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar and former chief minister were detained by Karnataka police when they were marching towards Raj Bhawan on Tuesday.

• JAN 21, 2021 06:24 AM IST

  SC-appointed panel to meet farmers' unions representatives

  The Supreme Court appointed panel will meet farmers' unions representatives to discuss their grievances regarding the newly passed laws.