Narendra Modi will address farmers in Madhya Pradesh today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, strongly defending laws that have triggered massive farmer protests near Delhi, said he was ready "with folded hands" to discuss every issue and assuage concerns.
"If anyone has any concerns, then with our heads bowed, our hands folded, with humility, we are willing to allay their fears," PM Modi said, addressing farmers in Madhya Pradesh via video. He also said talk about MSP or Minimum Support Prices ending with the new laws "is the biggest lie ever".
Here are the Highlights on farmers' protests:
Puducherry Chief Minister tears up copies of farm Bills at end of fast
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Friday tore up copies of the three farm laws at the culmination of a day long fast in support of the agitating farmers at the borders of the national capital.
The fast was organised by the ruling Congress, heading the Secular Democratic Alliance in the Union Territory.
Earlier, addressing the participants, Mr Narayanasamy alleged that the bills passed by the Centre contravened all democractic norms and practices in Parliament, were totally against the farmers and would only "pamper" corporates. He said the agitation by farmers would continue till the centre scrapped the laws to ensure protection of the farming community.
A group of volunteers launches ‘Trolley Times’ newsletter at Singhu border
Makeshift library set up at Singhu border amid farmers' protests
Amid the farmers' protest, a library-cum-cultural centre has been set up at Singhu border which aims to provide books and newspapers for youth and also imparts school education to students from nearby slums.
Apart from providing books for the youth to read, the library also offers them a platform to discuss current topics.
The tent is used in the evenings, to recreate a tradition, ''Sanjhi Sath'', where the villagers gather to listen to their elders' advice.
There are 10 teaching volunteers and 150 volunteers for cleaning the area.
The groups of volunteers are also actively teaching the slum students, who are unable to go to schools owing to the ongoing Covid-19 situation.
"This place is Sanjhi Sath for discussion, for youth there is a library for reading. We have books in several languages available for reading. One more initiative is to teach slum students. Many parents came and asked if we could teach their ward as well," said Survinder Singh Wadwa, a volunteer providing this service.
Several newspapers and books are seen at the protest site, including biographies of revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Che Guevara and of various genres in English, Hindi and Punjabi.
Puducherry Chief Minister tears up copies of Farm Bills at end of fastPuducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Friday tore up copies of the three farm laws at the culmination of a day long fast in support of the agitating farmers at the borders of the national capital.
The fast was organised by the ruling Congress, heading the Secular Democratic Alliance in the Union Territory.
Earlier, addressing the participants, Narayanasamy alleged that the bills passed by the Centre contravened all democractic norms and practices in Parliament, were totally against the farmers and would only ''pamper'' corporates.
He said the agitation by farmers would continue till the Centre scrapped the laws to ensure protection of the farming community.
The Chief Minister said though agriculture and health come under the state list in the Constitution, the Centre was ''infringing'' on the powers of states and taking steps without consulting them.
Government should stop deceiving and betraying farmers: CongressThe Congress on Friday said the government should stop "deceiving and betraying" farmers and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise to them for insulting those protesting against the recent farm laws by dubbing them as "anti-nationals".
Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told a press conference that the prime minister is deceiving the farmers by meeting those in Madhya Pradesh through video-conferencing, instead of meeting those protesting in the cold at the doorstep of Delhi.
He said the government should shed arrogance and repeal the three farm laws at the earliest.
The Congress leader's remarks came on a day the prime minister interacted with the farmers of Madhya Pradesh virtually, while stoutly defending the new farm laws and saying those were in the works for decades and the people opposing the legislations now for gaining lost political ground were once votaries to the same reforms.
Sukhbir Badal seeks President's intervention in convening Winter Session of ParliamentShiromani Akali Dal on Friday sought President Ram Nath Kovind's intervention in convening the Winter Session of Parliament at the earliest, saying its cancellation on the excuse of COVID-19 was "indigestible" as the three farm laws were passed when the pandemic was at its peak.
In his letter to the President, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said Parliament must meet immediately as "a national priority" as the ongoing farmers'' movement affects nearly 100 crore of our people directly and the rest indirectly going by the percentage of the country''s population dependent on agriculture.
Describing the government's attitude as a case of "historic blunder", Mr Badal said "the ruling party's stubborn-ness to listen to the country''s ''annadata'' and to let them die within a few hundred yards of Parliament would be remembered in history as a case of a heartless and conscience-less government at war with its own people."
If you want credit, take it and withdraw the farm laws: Sitaram Yechury to PM
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi requested the opposition political parties with "folded hands" to keep all the credit for the agricultural sector reforms on Friday, Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury slammed the "manner" in which he delivered the speech.
"If you want to take credit, then take it and withdraw the recently enacted farm laws, this is what I want to say to the Prime Minister," he said, commenting on PM Modi's speech.
He added there should be reforms in the agricultural sector. "But what kind of reform is it (the three new farm laws)? If it is for farmers, then thousands, who are sitting on protest, do not understand their well-being."
UP Sambhal Withdraws Notices Served To 20 Farmer LeadersThe Sambhal administration on Friday withdrew notices served on 20 farmer leaders, who were told to furnish personal bonds of Rs 50,000 each after police apprehended breach of peace during protests against the Centre's farm laws.
Government needs to resolve farmers' issue, not Supreme Court: AIKSThe All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) on Friday said the issue of the ongoing farmers' protests against three new farm laws needs to be resolved by the government and not the Supreme Court.
The AIKS, a key member of the "Samyukta Kisan Morcha" that is spearheading the "Dilli Chalo" agitation against the three farm laws, asserted that no farmer organisation approached the court in the first place and asked for its intervention in the matter.
"The issue needs to be resolved by the Centre and not the Supreme Court. The court order has also said the same categorically. We have not approached the court because of this understanding that it is a struggle by the farmers against a government policy and the executive has to resolve the crisis," senior AIKS leader P Krishnaprasad said.
The farmers' agitation should be allowed to continue "without impediments" and the court will not "interfere" with it as the right to protest is a fundamental right, the Supreme Court said on Thursday while hearing a bunch of petitions against the ongoing stir at Delhi''s borders.
Farmers' protest affects traffic movement on Jaipur-Delhi highway for 6th dayThe traffic on Jaipur-Delhi national highway remained partially affected for the sixth consecutive day on Friday due to the farmers' agitation near the Rajasthan-Haryana border.
Despite intense cold conditions, the farmers have been staying put in Shahjahanpur near the border since Sunday, protesting against the three agri laws introduced by the Centre.
One side of the highway, from Jaipur to Delhi, is closed whereas the other side, from Delhi to Jaipur, is open for traffic.
On Friday, the farmers were addressed by activists Kavita Srivastava, Kanwar Yadav and others, spokesperson of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Rajasthan) Ram Madhav said.
UPA supporters are misguiding farmers, says Smriti Irani
Amid the ongoing farmers' agitation in the country, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday said the parties which were members of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) were misguiding farmers about the three agriculture laws.
Speaking at a Kisan Sammelan (farmers' conference) in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, Ms Irani said the leaders opposing the farm laws never worked for the farmers' welfare and questioned what was so "objectionable in the laws" that Congress and other UPA supporters are protesting against them.
"It is for the first time in their lifetime that poor farmers have a Pradhan Sevak who is providing them with a health cover of Rs 5 lakh under Ayushman Bharat, and made arrangements for cooking gas cylinders for them. The opposition leaders opposing the farm laws never worked for them. They are doing politics on the bills. What''s so objectionable in the bills that the Congress and other UPA supporters are protesting against it?" Ms Irani asked.
She claimed the government had held discussions on the laws with farmers' unions six months before they were passed in Parliament, and added that House was also assured that the minimum support price would not be discontinued.
Akhilesh Yadav attacks UP government over notices to farmers seeking personal bondsSamajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday attacked the Uttar Pradesh government for sending notices to farmers asking them to submit personal bonds assuring there will be no breach of peace during protests against farm laws in Sambhal.
The district administration, however, cancelled the notices later.
"Even though the Supreme Court has given legal acknowledgement to peaceful protests by farmers, the BJP government in UP is lodging FIRs to realise Rs 50 lakh from them. There has never been an anti-people government like the BJP," the SP leader said in tweet in Hindi with the hashtag "#Nahi_Chahiye_Bhajapa (No more BJP)".
Fight is against farm laws, not the government, says boxer Vijender Singh
Boxer and Congress leader Vijender Singh on Friday distributed food at a langar organised by the Jamindara Student Organisation (JSO) for protesting farmers at the Tikri Border on Friday.
While speaking to ANI, Vijender Singh said that his fight is not against the government but against the newly enacted farm laws. "We are here to serve the farmers of our country. Our fight is not against the government but the three black laws," he said.
Mr Singh had also joined the farmers' agitation at Singhu border (Haryana-Delhi border) on December 6 and said that he will return his Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award if the new agriculture laws are not withdrawn.
PM Modi targets Congress over farm loan waiver promise in Madhya Pradesh
Congress promise during the 2018 polls in states like Madhya Pradesh, to waive farm loans. "What loud and large promises were made before the Madhya Pradesh elections, that if they win, they will write off all the farm loans for every farmer in the state within 10 days. They do nothing but lie and try to use you with promises or by playing on your fears," he said.
PM Says Opposition Had Exploited Farmers For PoliticsPrime Minister Narendra Modi today strongly defended farm laws at the core of massive farmer protests, saying these were discussed for over two decades by every government but the opposition resented his government because they would not get credit.
"These laws were not brought in overnight. In past 22 years, every government, state has discussed these in detail. Farmer groups, agricultural experts, economists, scientists and progressive farmers have called for reforms. Parties opposing these laws today promised these reforms in their manifestos," PM Modi said, addressing farmers in Madhya Pradesh via video.
"These parties are pained today. They are asking themselves, what we couldn't do, how could Modi do? Why should he get credit? My reply to them is - you keep the credit. Even I will give credit to your own manifestos. I don't want credit. I want farmers' lives to improve. Stop misleading farmers."
Want to caution farmers against misleading information: PM Modi
"I want to caution all those who are being misled and instigated in the name of these farm laws," PM Modi said.
"If you all have any genuine points you want to discuss, please being those issues and we shall discuss. But don't get misled by these people who are finding a ground by lying to you that you will lose yours," he added.
"Even today, they are using you for their own personal benefits. They are just using you to do politics to find relevance today - since they have lost their political ground," the Prime Minister said.
PM Narendra Modi Begins His Address To Madhya Pradesh Farmers
PM Narendra Modi has started his address to Madhya Pradesh farmers. The address comes amid a large protest by farmers at Delhi borders.
"Clerical Error," Says UP Cop On ₹ 50 Lakh Notice To FarmersA "clerical error" from an official at the district administration led to ₹ 50 lakh printed in the notice sent to farmer leaders in western Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, a police official told NDTV, adding that a revised notice has been sent to them.
"It was a clerical error. We have revised the amount in the notice to ₹ 50,000," Sambhal SP Chakresh Mishra told NDTV.
The Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Sambhal had sent the notice to farm leaders citing a police report that warned that they would "incite" farmers to join the protests against the Centre's new laws. The notice had sought an explanation from farmers on why they should not submit personal bonds of ₹ 50 lakh each.
Read One Farmers' Group Meets Agriculture Minister, Extends Support For New Laws
Amid the ongoing farmers' protest against the new farm laws, yet another farmer grouping FIFA on Thursday met Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and extended support for the legislations.
The Federation of Indian FPOs and Aggregators (FIFA) is the sixth group of farmers that has extended support for the laws in the last two weeks. The previous groups were from Haryana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
Amid Farmer Protests, Madhya Pradesh's "Model Act" Draws Criticism
The Sambhal district administration in Uttar Pradesh has issued notices to six farmer leaders asking them to submit personal bonds of ₹ 50,000 each, as a police report warned of breach of peace during the protest against the new farm laws, an official said on Thursday.
The six farmers, who were served notices, include Bharatiya Kisan Union (Asli) district president Rajpal Singh Yadav and farmer leaders Jaiveer Singh, Brahmachari Yadav, Satendra Yadav, Raudas and Veer Singh. They have been organising protests in the district over the Centre's three contentious farm legislations.
Missing UP Man Traced By Police, Had Joined Farmers' Protest To Escape LendersWholesale agriculture markets, or mandis, in Madhya Pradesh will remain open, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan asserted Wednesday, offering assurances to farmers from the state who are among those protesting against the centre's three contentious farm laws.
Addressing a farmers' meet in Rewa district, the Chief Minister insisted mandis would remain open and that the centre's laws were only meant to help farmers secure better prices for their crop.
Read Bihar Man Cycles 1,000 Km To Join Farmers' Protest Near Delhi BorderSatyadev Manjhi, a 60-year-old man from Bihar's Siwan reached Tikri at Delhi-Haryana border on Thursday, after completing a journey of nearly 1,000 kilometres in 11 days on a bicycle to participate in the ongoing farmers' protest against agricultural laws.
Speaking to ANI, Mr Manjhi urged the Central government to repeal the three farm laws.
Read PM Modi's Appeal To Farmers As Minister Pens 8-Page Outreach
An eight-page letter from Union agriculture minister Narendra Tomar marked the beginning of the BJP's big outreach programme for the protesting farmers on Thursday. The letter was released after a party meeting that was attended by its key leaders --- Union minister Amit Shah, his cabinet colleagues Piyush Goyal, Nirmala Sitharaman, Mr Tomar and party chief JP Nadda.
"Narendra Tomar Ji has expressed his feelings by writing a letter to farmer brothers and sisters, trying to have a polite dialogue. I request all the contributors to read it. The countrymen are also urged to make it reach to as many people as possible," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.