Farmers protest against the new Farm Bill on the Singhu, New Delhi border on Monday, December 14, 2020. Express photo by Abhinav Saha
On the 19th day of the protests, the leaders of 32 agricultural unions intensified their agitation by observing a day of hunger strike starting at 8 am at the Singhu border. Police, meanwhile, placed shipping containers with cranes on NH-44 to reassert barricades already fortified with sand and barbed wire-laden garbage containers to prevent protesters from entering Delhi.
On the government side, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Interior Minister Amit Shah also met for the second day in a row.
At an FICCI event, Rajnath Singh said: “Recent reforms have been undertaken with the best interests of Indian farmers in mind… However, we are always ready to listen to our fellow farmers, allay their misgivings and provide assurances. . Our Government is always open to discussion and dialogue ”.
Describing agriculture as the “mother sector for all”, Singh said: “Our products and acquisitions have been abundant and our warehouses are full … there is no possibility of taking retrograde measures against our agricultural sector,” he said.
Members of the farmers’ unions in the tractor car go to the Panchkula DC office following a national call given by their unions against the new farm laws on Monday. (Express photo by Jaipal Singh)
Tomar said the government is “willing to hold talks.” “As long as his proposal arrives, the government will definitely hold talks,” he said.
In Gandhinagar, Gujarat, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala ruled out including the Minimum Price of Livelihood in the legal framework, a key demand from agricultural unions.
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