Farmers have turned down government's proposals to amend the agri laws.
A day after farmer leaders rejected a government offer of amendments in the new agri laws, the protestors have called a meeting today at the Singh border to discuss future strategy. The meeting will be attended by leaders of as many as 40 farmer unions. The meeting will take place at 2 PM.
According to the information available, farmer leaders will discuss the next week's plans. Farmers have vowed to intensify their agitation by blocking key highways linking Delhi on December 12 and a nationwide protest on December 14.
Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will make an appeal to the farmers to end their agitation and work with the government, today. He will also brief the media.
Earlier on Wednesday, farmers turned down the government's proposals to amend the three farm laws and a written assurance on continuing the MSP system. Farmer leaders said that there was nothing new in the proposals and threatened to intensify their stir. Today is the 15th day of their protest.
"There was nothing new in the government's proposal, and that it was completely rejected by the 'Sanyukta Kisan Committee' in its meeting on Wednesday," farmer leader Shiv Kumar Kakka said.
Farmers to block Jaipur-Delhi and Delhi-Agra expressways
The farmer leaders, who have been adamant on their demand to scrap the laws, said it was an insult to the farmers and they would intensify their agitation by blocking the Jaipur-Delhi and the Delhi-Agra expressways by Saturday, and escalate it to a nationwide protest on December 14 when they will "gherao" BJP ministers and boycott party leaders.
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and several other states have been protesting on various borders of Delhi since November 26, seeking repeal of the three farm laws enacted in September.
READ MORE: Farmers reject govt's proposals, want nothing but repeal of farm laws
In another related development, the Opposition, which has been supporting the farmers' stir and had backed Tuesday's 'Bharat bandh', approached President Ram Nath Kovind. A five-member delegation including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram met the president seeking repeal of the farm laws against which thousands of farmers have been protesting on the borders of the national capital.
