Farmers agitating against the Centre's new agri laws on Sunday refused to accept any conditions, including moving to the city's Burari ground from the Singhu and Tikri border points. They have decided to gherao Delhi by blocking five main entry points. A farmers' leader said that the imposed condition was an "insult" to the farmers. Thousands of farmers continued to protest against the new agri laws on the fourth consecutive day on Sunday, staying put at the Singhu and Tikri border points.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had appealed to the farmers to shift to the Burari ground and had said the Centre was ready to hold discussions with them as soon as they move to the designated place. He had invited the delegation of farmers for a discussion on December 3.
Meanwhile, BJP chief JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar held a meeting to discuss the situation at a meeting Sunday night.
MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS
- "The condition put forward for talks is an insult to farmers. We will never go to Burari (Delhi). It is not a park but an open jail. Delhi Police told Uttarakhand Farmer Association President that they'll take them to Jantar Mantar but instead locked them at Burari Park," Surjeet Singh Phul, State President of BKU Krantikari (Punjab), said.
- "Instead of going to open jail in Burari, we've decided that we will gherao Delhi by blocking 5 main entry points to Delhi. We've got 4 months ration with us, so nothing to worry. Our Operations Committee will decide everything," he told the media.
- Singh said that the "farmers will not allow any political party leader to speak on their stage, be it Congress, BJP, AAP or others." Our Committee will allow other organisations, who are supporting us, to speak if they follow our rules, the farmers' leader said. Farmers gathered at the Singhu border as part of their "Delhi Chalo" protest against the Centres new farm laws, in New Delhi, Friday, Nov 27, 2020.
- Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar on Sunday also urged the farmers to leave the agitation and talk with the government. "Government has proposed to meet on December 3 for the fourth time. So, talks are already going on, nobody should think government isn't ready for it. Government is open for talks, farmers' unions should create atmosphere for it. They should leave agitation and choose talks," Tomar told news agency ANI.
- Meanwhile, all Khaps of Haryana have unanimously decided to support protesting farmers. "Khaps will gather tomorrow and proceed towards Delhi. We request Centre to re-consider farm Laws. Everyone has a right to express themselves," Sombir Sangwan, Haryana Khap Pradhan and Dadri MLA, said.
- In a letter to 32 farmer organisations, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla cited the cold conditions and the COVID-19 outbreak and said the farmers should move to the Burari ground where adequate facilities have been made for them. He said the farmers have gathered along two major highways connecting Punjab and as a result, normal life and travel of common people have been affected. New Delhi: Farmers gathered at the Singhu border as part of their "Delhi Chalo" protest against Centres new farm laws, in New Delhi, Saturday, Nov 28, 2020.
- Bhalla said the farmers are also inconvenienced due to the cold, and because of the Coronavirus outbreak, there is a possibility of the spread of the virus as there is a large congregation of people. The home secretary said keeping in mind all these issues, the central government has made arrangements for a big ground at Burari so that proper facilities could be made for the farmers.
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