As the deadlock between the protesting farmers and the government refuses to bring an end to the further hardening of both sides, the farmers’ groups have now completely blocked the Delhi-Noida border at Chilla.
As PM Narendra Modi said the farmers protesting at the Delhi borders were incorrect by some powers, the farmers’ leaders said they are now ready to get the three farm reform laws and step back only when the laws are repealed.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will today hear a PIL seeking direction for the Centre to consider the demands of farmers, ensure basic amenities and no violation of any human rights of the farmers.
Farmers’ groups have written to Agriculture Ministry secretary Vivek Agarwal saying they request the government to stop discrediting the farmers’ protests and talk to all farmer groups with equal importance. The farmers have said that they had rejected the government’s written proposal because it was a compilation of exactly what was conveyed to them in the previous rounds of talks, including on Dec 5. The statement says, “we’d conveyed our concerns at various rounds of talks already, hence we didn’t respond in writing to your proposal”.