Farmers start day-long 'relay' hunger strike

New Delhi: Intensifying their agitation against the Centre's new agri laws, farmers began their day-long 'relay' hunger strike on a chilly Monday morning at all sites of protest on Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Protesting farmers will participate in the hunger strike in batches and the first has 11 members, according to farmer leaders.

Thousands of agriculturists, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, are protesting against the laws for the last over four weeks at various border points of Delhi and demanding that the legislations be repealed.

Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav had on Sunday said, "Farmers will begin a day-long relay hunger strike on Monday at all sites of protest against the new agri laws. It will be started by a team of 11 members at protests sites here, including the Singhu border."

He also urged "everyone at all protest sites across the nation to participate in the same".

Several roads have been shut due to the agitation and the Delhi Traffic Police has been updating commuters on open and closed routes.

Taking to Twitter on Monday, the traffic police said that the Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, and Mangesh borders are closed. It has advised commuters to take alternative routes through the Lampur, Safiabad Saboli and Singhu School Toll Tax borders.

Police said as traffic has been diverted from Mukarba and the GTK Road, people are suggested to avoid Outer Ring Road, the GTK Road and National Highway (NH) 44.

Those travelling to Haryana can go through the Jharoda (only single carriageway), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH-8, Bijwasan-Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera borders.

"Tikri, Dhansa borders are closed for any traffic movement. Jhatikara border is open only for two wheelers and pedestrian movement," the traffic police tweeted.

"Chilla border one carriageway from Delhi to Noida is open for traffic, however, other carriageway from Noida to Delhi is closed," it added.

Farmers are protesting against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

The three farm laws, enacted in September, have been projected by the government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove middlemen and allow farmers to sell 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 Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates. The Centre has repeatedly asserted that these mechanisms will remain.

Govt writes to farmer unions inviting them for next round of talks

Meanwhile, The government on Sunday asked protesting farmer unions to specify their concerns over its earlier proposal of amendments in the new agri laws and choose a convenient date for the next round of talks so that the ongoing agitation could end at the earliest.

In a letter to 40 union leaders, Union Agriculture Ministry Joint Secretary Vivek Aggarwal said the Centre is making all efforts with "an open heart" to find an appropriate solution to resolve all the concerns raised by farmers.

Previous five rounds of talks between the government and the unions have failed to break the deadlock with the farmers insisting on repeal of the three laws and camping at various border points of Delhi for over three weeks now.

Aggarwal said that in its draft proposal sent on December 9, the government had proposed to make necessary amendments on at least seven issues, including providing a "written assurance" to the farmers that the existing minimum support price (MSP) system would continue.

But the unions had rejected the proposal in an email sent by Krantikari Kisan Union state president Darshan Pal on December 16.

In the latest letter which was also sent to Pal, Aggarwal said the farmer unions' response to the government's draft proposal was "very brief".

It does not specify the reason for rejecting the draft proposal. "It is not clear if the views are yours (Pal) or of all unions," he said in the letter in Hindi.

Aggarwal requested that the union leaders who have been in talks with the government provide details of their remaining concerns and doubts over its draft proposal, and "suggest a date as per convenience for the next round of talks".

The government intends to convene the next meeting at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi for resolving the issue so that the ongoing protests end at the earliest, he added.

The letter also mentioned that the government held meetings with several other farmers' organisations and sought their suggestions on the matter.