Farmers’ protest updates: Thursday’s event a rehearsal for January 26 tractor march, says farm leader

Farmers protesting against the Centre’s three laws organised a tractor march on Thursday, converging on the eastern and western peripheral expressways that form a ring around Delhi, as the protest enters its 43rd day. The march comes a day before the government and the farmers’ unions are slated to hold their next round of talks. Women in rural Haryana have been receiving training on driving tractors for today’s tractor march, reported news agency PTI.

Union minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday that he sees the ongoing dialogue between farmers and the Centre as an opportunity to explain how beneficial the reforms can be for the former. However, the farmers unions camping at three sites near Delhi have insisted on a total repeal of the new farm laws, while the government has said it is ready to discuss changes to the existing laws. Thursday’s tractor march is being touted by the protesters as a ‘trailer’ of a much bigger march that is being planned for Republic Day.

Also Read: Protesting farmers from Uttarakhand hold tractor rally in Kumaon

Farmers from Kumaon district of Uttarakhand took out a tractor rally to protests against the new farm laws being implemented by the Centre. A protestor told HT that a dozen farmers from Jaspur have left to join farmers at Delhi, with razai and household goods.

Also Read : Supreme Court asks Centre about steps taken to combat Covid-19 at protest sites

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked Centre about guidelines that have been put into place to prevent spread of Covid-19 at farmers protest sites. Citing the example of the Tablighi Jamaat gathering at Delhi, the Court asked Solicitor general Tushar Mehta if the Centre has learned anything from the Jamaat experience.

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8th round of talks between govt, protesting farmers tomorrow

The eight round of talks between the central government and the protesting farmers will take place tomorrow. Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar, along with Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Som Parkash, have been leading the government’s negotiations with 40 protesting farmer union leaders. The previous rounds of talks have remained inconclusive. However, the government conceded to two demands of the protesters with regard to power subsidy and stubble burning during the sixth meeting held on December 30 last year.

Thursday’s event a rehearsal for January 26 tractor march, says farm leader

As protesting farmers- seated on tractors travelled around the KMP Expressway on the outskirts of Delhi on Thursday, a farm leader told news agency PTI that today’s tractor march was a rehearsal for the January 26 tractor march.

Sonia Gandhi slams Centre over ongoing stir

Congress President Sonia Gandhi hit out at the central government over the ongoing farmer agitation and the hike in fuel prices by saying that India is standing at the crossroads for the first time since Independence. “I once again appeal to the government to repeal the three farm laws immediately and fulfil all the demands of farmers,” she said in a statement.

Supreme Court expresses concern over large gatherings amid Covid-19 crisis

The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed concern over large gatherings of protesters at Delhi borders and questioned whether they were protected against the spread of Covid-19.

Farmers protesting the new farm laws take part in tractor rally at Burari

Farmers who are protesting against the newly implemented farm laws held a tractor rally in Burari, reported news agency ANI. Farmers from all over the country have been protesting at three sites in Delhi for well over a month now. As the protest enters its 43rd day, tractor rallies are being flagged off from different parts of the country.

Protesting farmers flag off tractor rally from Haryana

A group of protesting farmers started off for Delhi from Haryana after holding a tractor rally in Palwal. “We will head towards Singhu border from here”, said Shiv Kumar Kakka, national president, Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh, to news agency ANI. Farmers from all over the country are set to hold tractor rallies in the national Capital ahead of the next round of talks with the Centre.