Farmers declared one-day hunger strike tomorrow

Farmers union decided to have on one-day hunger strike from 8 am to 5 pm on December 14. The decision was informed by farmer leader Gurnaam Singh Chidoni during a press conference at Singhu border.

"Dharnas will be held at all district headquarters," added Chidon.The group of 32 farm unions also  announced to spread the ongoing protest across India. The moves comes in the absence of any positive signal from the Centre to roll back the three farm laws enacted in September.

In a statement, the Working Group of AIKSCC reiterated that it firmly stands with the demands of the farmer organisations agitating in unison for the repeal of 3 anti-farmer acts and legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price

"Our stand is clear, we want the three farm laws to be repealed. All farmer unions participating in this movement are together'" said farmer leader Shiv Kumar Kakka during the press conference.

"We need to keep an eye so that no wrong elements are not among us. All our youngsters need to remain vigilant. If government wants to talk then we will set a committee and take further decision," said Rakesh Tikait of  Bharatiya Kisan Union.

The National Working Group of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee also disassociated itself from a statement made to media by VM Singh.

The statement was neither authorised by AIKSCC nor did it follow protocols of decision making by Working Group,said the statement. Earlier on December 12, Singh had demanded an assurance on MSP.

"We want guarantee of purchase of our produce under MSP. Farmers will benefit from MSP Guarantee Bill" he said

Earlier, Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Som Parkash had met Home Minister Amit Shah.The ministers were accompanied by BJP leaders from Punjab, says the report. It was not immediately known what transpired in the meeting.

At the nearly 40-minute meeting at Shah's residence, the situation in Punjab and steps to tackle the protest that farmers plan to intensify in the coming days were also discussed,reports IANS. Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industries Som Parkash was also present.

According to the report, the leaders mulled a new strategy to handle the agitation that has been affecting the supply chains to the national capital due to closure of five border points that connect Delhi with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh from different directions

Meanwhile, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that "Prominent people who're protesting farm laws today, are doing it just for the sake of opposing the laws,"

"They themselves earlier recognised the need for these reforms. We will sensitize people on how the farm laws will be beneficial to farmers"he added.

Meanhile, the farmers jammed Delhi-Jaipur Highway and traffic is being diverted from Behror.

The crowd at Delhi-Haryana's Singhu Border is swelling up with each passing day and the protest site expanding towards the Delhi end. In view of the same, the number of barricades have increased along with the number of security personnel in the area.

The security in Gurugram district was beefed up on Sunday with the deployment of more police, rapid action force and even paramilitary personnel,reports IANS. In the previous night, hundreds of farmers from Rajasthan were stopped on the Haryana-Rajasthan border.

Delhi's Commissioner is keeping a close watch on the law and order situation as protesting farmers have threatened to enter the capital.

The farmers are protesting against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020. They call these laws 'black law', 'draconian' and 'anti-farmer'.

The government is instead ready to undertake amendments to the laws, reiterating that they are for the benefit of farmers.

(With inputs from various agencies)