New Delhi, December 31

The lunch diplomacy of Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has played an instrumental role in shaping up a positive development following the sixth round of talks between the government and the representatives of farmers’ organisations.

Unlike the previous five meetings that ended on an inconclusive note, the sixth round of talks held here at Vigyan Bhawan on Wednesday saw the government and farmers coming on the same page on two key issues out of four.

The way the Wednesday meeting between the farmers and the government happened, the possibilities of solving the farmers’ movement have increased.

Farmer leaders are also hopeful that the way the government on Wednesday agreed to the demands like keeping farmers out of the purview of stubble burning and continuation of electricity subsidy, in the same way, the meeting on January 4 will also be positive.

The agenda for the January 4 meeting has been set.

This meeting is to be held on two issues like the three agricultural laws and the guarantee of MSP.

Also read: CM Pinarayi Vijayan moves resolution against central farm laws in Kerala Assembly

Several Delhi border points remain closed due to farmers’ protest

Undeterred by bitter cold, more farmers leave for Delhi

During the lunch break at Vigyan Bhawan on Wednesday at 2.30 pm, two hours after the sixth round meeting, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Union Minister of State Som Prakash reached out to the farm leaders when they were getting ready to eat the ‘langar’ meal.

Abohar, December 31

Led by former sarpanch Lal Chand, who had actively supported the BJP-SAD alliance in the 2017 Vidhan Sabha election, a group of BJP workers in Daulatpura village today announced to join the Congress.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Bhup Ram Godara said they had quit the BJP over the farm laws. “Some BJP activists requested us not to quit the party. But we said as the party had betrayed farmers, there was no point in staying with it,” said Jatinder Singh, a farmer.

Another farmer, Krishan Singh, said residents of the tail-end villages had been crying for canal renovation for many years, the demand was fulfilled by the Congress government. — OC

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 31

International kabaddi players, wrestlers, footballers and basketball players, some of whom returned from abroad, havebeen taking turns to serve the farmers from day one at the Singhu border.

An accommodation to house 1,500 people, a langar feeding people three times a day along with snacks all through the day include the facilities the state’s sportspersons have been offering.

From November 27 when the initial ‘jathas’ of farmers were just heading to Singhu, three sportspersons from Punjab were busy setting up langar and a place to stay for the congregation at the border. While Tony Sandhu, former footballer; Mangi Bagga, former Captain of Indian kabaddi team; and Manjinder Singh, international kabaddi player, were the first to set things up, a bustling stream of international and Indian sports luminaries from the US, UK, Seechewal, Ludhiana and Tarn Taran also lined up to offer sewa. They wash clothes and cook food for the ‘sangat’.

Sandeep Singh from Nangal Ambian, an international kabaddi player, returned from England to come to Singhu. Satnam Singh Bhamra, NBA player, postponed his trip to the US to serve the farmers. Other players who have offered sewa at the langar as well as laundry and accommodation include former Indian kabaddi team members Sukha Bhandal and Nanni Gopalpur, international kabaddi players Khushi Duggal, Manjot Machiwara, Sultan and Jagga Chitti, international wrestler Jassa Patti, Asian silver medallist Amandeep Hothi, Nek Mullapur, among others.

Earning respect among farmers, Tony was even a part of farmers’ deliberations at Singhu on the future course of the agitation. For the New Year, a langar and an evening of music from singer Jazzy B is what the players have in store.

Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 31

Indian Army’s explorer and surveyor of the Siachen Glacier, Col Narendra “Bull” Kumar (retd), died following a brief illness in New Delhi on Thursday. He was 87 years of age and one of the most respected mountaineers, who was awarded the Kirti Chakra, the second highest peace time gallantry award.

It was in 1981 that Col Kumar surveyed each mountain pass atop the glacier and hoisted Indian flags. Three years after his report, the Indian Army captured the strategic icy frontier. It was he who, following a secret expedition, had made a report on strategic importance of Siachen which had prompted then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to okay operation Meghdoot on April 13, 1984. The glacier was captured as Indian troops raced to hold the ridgeline beating Pakistan Army to the top.

The 109-km actual ground position line (AGPL) that separates India and Pakistan on the glacier is the result of Col Kumar’s mountaineering expedition.

Born in Rawalpindi, now in Pakistan, Col Kumar was commissioned into the Kumoan regiment. The Army had named the launch base of the expedition as “Kumar base”, a rare honour for serving officer. The base is still called “Kumar”.

Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Rewari, December 31

A group of protesting farmers camping at the Delhi-Jaipur highway for the past 18 days today removed the two-layer barricading at Shahjahanpur (Rajasthan)-Khera (Rewari) border to move to the Capital. The police initially used tear gas shells to stop them but later allowed them to go.

Vendors from across country join stir

To express solidarity with the protesting farmers, vegetable and fruit vendors from across the country reached the Singhu dharna site on Thursday. Sheikh Salman of the National Hawker Federation said 600-700 vendors, including women, had come to the Singhu border.

Tension prevailed as the farmers were thereafter stopped by the Rewari police near Bhudla village, 12 km from the border. Hundreds of farmers however stayed back on the Rajasthan side of the Shahjahanpur-Rewari border. The police had to divert traffic on the highway to avoid a jam following the sudden movement of farmers. There were long queues of vehicles on the highway as well as alternative routes, causing inconvenience to the commuters.

Kerala resolution against farm laws

Expressing solidarity with the agitating farmers, the Kerala Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution demanding withdrawal of the contentious central laws. The lone BJP member, O Rajagopal, also backed the resolution, saying “it is the democratic spirit.”

“Around 2 pm, nearly 130 farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan in 20 tractor-trailers suddenly started removing boulders and barricades on the highway. The police lobbed teargas shells but the farmers did not stop and broke the barricades with their tractors,” Ashok Arya of the All India Kisan Sabha said.

Arya added that farmer leaders present at the Shahjahanpur-Rewari protest site had appealed to the group not to move ahead to the Capital without receiving directions from the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha. Rewari SP Abhishek Jorwal said the police would not allow the farmers to go ahead.

Thiruvananthapuram, December 31

Even as the BJP’s Kerala leadership on Thursday maintained they will talk to lone party MLA O Rajagopal over his support to a state government resolution passed by the Assembly against the three farm laws, sources said the party was “shocked” by the development.

BJP state chief K Surendran told the media: “I have not seen Rajagopal’s press conference, nor do I know what he has said. I will speak to him and let you know.”

Also read: Kerala Assembly unanimously passes resolution against central farm laws

Asked of two opinions within the BJP existed over the farm laws, he retorted: “What are you saying? There are no two opinions on the farm Acts among Kerala BJP leaders.”

BJP State General Secretary MT Ramesh told the media in Alappuzha: “Rajagopal is a senior leader and I did not think that he will support the resolution. He had earlier come out against the state government for bringing in a resolution against the farm Acts. I don’t know what happened. Let me check and revert back.”

While both senior leaders were guarded in their response, highly placed party sources told IANS that the party is “totally surprised”.

A senior leader said: “The party is literally in a shock. We don’t know what to do in this situation. The BJP will take a decision on this development.”

Rajagopal was Minister of State in Railways, Defence and Parliamentary Affairs in the Vajpayee government at the Centre. He is the first BJP leader to enter the Kerala Assembly.

Rajagopal had earlier courted controversy during the voting of Speaker’s post by supporting Left nominee Sreeramakrishnan. He had then said that he had supported the Speaker because his name had Lord Rama and Lord Sreekrishna in it.

–IANS