Tribune News Service

New Delhi/Chandigarh, January 1

Sticking to their demands for the repeal of three new farm laws and a legal guarantee for MSP for crops, protesting farmers today said they would have to take “firm steps” if the government failed to decide in their favour at the talks scheduled for January 4.

Addressing the media after a meeting of the representatives of various unions at Singhu near Delhi border, farm leaders said only 5 per cent of the issues raised by them had been discussed at the December 30 negotiations with the government. They warned of multiple actions if their main demands were not met.

Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav said the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway tractor march, planned on December 31 but deferred due to the December 30 talks, would now be held on January 6 if the next round of talks failed to end the deadlock. Farmers protesting at Shahjahanpur on the Haryana-Rajasthan border would move towards Delhi, he said.

“From January 6 to 20, we will organise ‘Jagriti Abhiyan’ across the country by holding rallies to create awareness on farmers’ issues. We will observe January 23, the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose, as ‘Chetna Diwas’,” said Yadav.

Vikas, a farm leader, said after January 4, they would announce dates for shutting all malls and petrol pumps in Haryana. Gurnam Singh Charuni, BKU leader from Haryana, said, “The government is not yet ready to give anything in writing on MSP. At the last meeting, it wanted to set up a panel on the issue, which we rejected. The Centre claims the MSP will continue but if facts are checked, only 6 per cent of the crops are being purchased at MSP. Over Rs 3 lakh crore that should have come into farmers’ pockets is being denied to them by not buying crops at MSP,” he said.

Union leader Darshan Pal said the boycott of the products of certain corporates would continue and that they were also planning to launch a nationwide campaign against MPs and MLAs.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar, meanwhile, struck a note of hope saying he expected a “positive outcome”. Steering clear of a definitive answer as to whether a final resolution would be reached at the next meeting, he said he was no soothsayer. “I cannot say for sure right now as to what will happen. I am not a soothsayer… I am hopeful whatever decision is taken, will be in the larger interests of the country and the farmers,” said Tomar.

New Delhi, January 1

Ahead of next round of talks with protesting farmer unions to break the stalemate on the farm laws, the Centre on Friday said the procurement of kharif crops continues as per existing MSP schemes, registering higher procurement of paddy till December 31, 2020, corresponding to the year before.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said paddy procurement for the kharif market season (KMS) 2020-21 was continuing “smoothly” in the procuring states and UTs, including Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Paddy purchase has been to the tune of 488 LMT up to December 31, which is an increase of more than 24 per cent against the corresponding purchase of over 390 LMT in 2019. Out of the total purchase, Punjab alone contributed to about 203 LMT, which is more than 41 per cent of the total procurement. — TNS

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 1

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has conveyed its serious concerns to the Pakistan High Commission at repeated instances of atrocities against the members of the minority community following the demolition of a Hindu temple on Wednesday by a mob in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The MEA has also asked for the investigation report. It is learnt that the local police have arrested 30 persons for the crime. Provincial Chief Minister, Mehmood Khan has said the government would reconstruct the ed temple and bring the culprits to justice. The Pakistan Supreme Court has taken notice of the attack and ordered the Provincial authorities to appear before it on January 5. — TNS

New Delhi, December 31

Thousands of farmers stayed put at their protest venues near Delhi’s border on Thursday as their talks with the government remained deadlocked over the main contentious issues of the repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee for MSP.

The government and farm unions had reached some common ground on Wednesday to resolve protesting farmers’ concerns over the rise in power tariff and penalties for stubble burning.

After the sixth round of negotiations between three union ministers and a 41-member representative group of thousands of farmers protesting on Delhi borders, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had said at least 50 per cent resolution has been reached with mutual agreement on two out of four items on the agenda and discussions would continue on the remaining two on January …

Braving the winter chill, farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, are protesting at various borders of the national capital for more than a month against these three new laws.

Security remained tight at the Delhi borders with hundreds of personnel deployed at Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri border points where the farmers have been camping.

The protests have also led to traffic congestion forcing police to divert vehicular movement.

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, the Delhi Traffic Police alerted commuters about the routes that remained closed owing to the agitation and suggested them to take alternative roads.

“Tikri, Dhansa Borders are closed for any Traffic Movement. Jhatikara Borders is open only for LMV (Cars/ Light Motor Vehicles), two-wheelers and pedestrian movement,” it tweeted.

“The Chilla and Ghazipur Borders are closed for traffic coming from Noida & Ghaziabad to Delhi because of farmer protests. Please take alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anand Vihar, DND, Apsara, Bhopra & Loni Borders.

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“Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Saboli & Mangesh borders closed. Please take alternate route via Lampur Safiabad, Palla & Singhu school toll tax borders. Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba and GTK road. Please avoid Outer Ring Road, GTK Road & NH-44,” they tweeted.

Enacted in September, the three farm laws have been projected by the central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middleman and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.

However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of MSP and do away with the mandi system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

The government has repeatedly asserted that the MSP and mandi systems will stay and has accused the Opposition of misleading the farmers. — PTI

Srinagar/Jammu, December 31

Pakistani troops opened fire and shelled mortars in unprovoked violations of a ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Thursday.

In the Tangdhar sector of Kupwara, Pakistani troops specifically targeted mosques and houses in border villages, an Army official said in Srinagar.

“Pakistan initiated an unprovoked ceasefire violation along LoC in the Tangdhar Sector, Kupwara by firing mortars and other weapons on Wednesday evening,” the official said. In the Nowshera sector of Rajouri, Pakistan army personnel engaged in heavy firing and mortar shelling on forward posts.

“Today, the Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along the LoC in the Nowshera sector in Rajouri district,” a defence spokesman said in Jammu.

The Army retaliated befittingly to the unprovoked ceasefire violations, officials said. — PTI

New Delhi, December 31

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh on Thursday took stock of Indian Navy’s operational preparedness in the Arabian Sea during a visit to a key naval installation in Gujarat, officials said.

Admiral Singh visited INS Dwarka which is a forward naval base at Okha in Gujarat.

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) was briefed about key operational matters by senior officials on overall maritime operations and security aspects relevant to Gujarat, Daman and Diu (GD&D) naval areas.

He also took stock of coastal surveillance initiatives in the areas and interacted with personnel from the Okha naval station and other units, the Indian Navy said in a statement.

“Appreciating the quality work put in by the station, he encouraged the personnel to keep up the good work as INS Dwarka enters its Golden Jubilee year. The CNS also wished all personnel and families at GD&D area the very best for the New Year,” the Navy said. PTI