On December 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address some farmers virtually, which will coincide with the 30th day of the ongoing protest Dilli Chalo by the farmers, started from November 26. Before that, a decision on the next round of talks with the Centre is likely as the Centre has already invited them and now it’s on the protesters to fix a date. On Wednesday, on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, farmers will skip a meal protesting against the three agriculture laws, recently passed by Parliament.
Here are the latest updates of farmers’ protest:
1. About 32 farmer union leaders will meet on Wednesday to decide the next course of action — pertaining to further talks with the government. The Union agriculture minister on Sunday wrote a letter to the leaders and asked them to fix a convenient date for the next round of talks. The leaders met on Tuesday but the date will be finalised today.
2. On the occasion of Kisan Diwas 2020, which is observed on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, farmers are all set to intensify their protests. Farmers will skip lunch as a symbolic protest to the three farm laws. The Congress will hold a statewide protest across Uttar Pradesh.
3. The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and its associate unions said they will observe December 23 as “Skip Lunch” day to express solidarity with the farmers.
4. Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday met a few farmers’ groups from Delhi and Haryana who are supporting the news laws.
5. Farmers camping at UP Gate on Delhi-Ghaziabad border on Tuesday blocked all 14 lanes of the National Highway 9 for eight hours.
6. From December 25 to 27, farmers will halt toll collection in Haryana. Farmers have also decided to band plates during PM Modi’s Mann ki Baat on December 27.
7. Kerala state government called a special assembly session on Wednesday to discuss and pass a resolution against the farm laws. But governor Arif Mohammed Khan did not give approval for the session. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said it was “regrettable”.
8. The protesting farmers are strengthening their presence on social media. A social media cell of the farmers’ collective has been set up, headed by Majha Kisan Committee vice president Baljeet Singh Sandhu, which will host a webinar on Thursday where senior farmers’ leaders will address all queries. The zoom webinar will be open for 10,000 people.
9. Seeking President Ram Nath Kovind’s intervention for withdrawal of the three farm laws, the Congress said a memorandum signed by two crore farmers would be handed over to him on December 24 by a party delegation, led by Rahul Gandhi.
10. Harpreet Singh, a farmer from Punjab, objected to Punjab BJP using his photo on its Facebook page to accompany a post which says minimum support price will continue. Harpreet said he is sitting with the protesters at Singhu border and his photo was used without his permission.
