Agri laws protests: Delegation of 60 farmers meet Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

New Delhi: Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday led a protest march to the Rashtrapati Bhawan and met President Ram Nath Kovind. He told the President that the farmers won't end their stir until the Centre repeals the three farm laws. He was joined by all Congress MPs, who also submitted a memorandum with two crore signatures against the farm laws to President Ramnath Kovind.

Earlier today, Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and quoted a news report that claims that a Delhi-based company has refused to buy paddy from Madhya Pradesh farmers under the agreement of contract farming. Congress had collected signatures from across the country, urging an intervention from the President for withdrawal of the three farm reform laws.

Meanwhile, the ongoing farmers’ protest against the Centre’s three contentious farm laws entered its 30th day on Thursday. After a meeting of nearly 100 farm leaders, the farmers unions on Wednesday said that they will not restart negotiations until the Centre draws up a new agenda.

The protesters also reiterated that they would remain at the protest sites, where thousands have gathered over for nearly a month, until their demand — a repeal of the laws — was met. 

Meanwhile, on behalf of the government, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar reiterated his hope that protesting farmers will soon come forward to resume their dialogue with the Centre to resolve their concerns over three new laws. The minister said any agitation can be resolved only through dialogue as has been the case always in history and urged the protesting unions to fix a date and time for the next round of talks.

Thank you for joining us at Zee News.

24 December 2020

16:16 IST

Delhi: A delegation of 60 farmers belonging to Kisaan Majdoor Sangh, Baghpat meets Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar at Krishi Bhawan.

13:45 IST

Farmers tell Zee News that they do not need Rahul Gandhi. "We know how to run our movement. During his grandmother's time it was the same," they said.

They claimed that they do not need Rahul Gandhi for their movement and questioned why he came out in support 28 later.

12:57 IST

Thousands of farmers hold protests, shout anti-government slogans at Delhi's Tikri Border against farm laws.

कृषि कानूनों के खिलाफ टिकरी बॉर्डर पर किसानों का विरोध प्रदर्शन जारी है। #FarmersProtest pic.twitter.com/nMxkvSgW7x

— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) December 24, 2020

12:50 IST

You have an incompetent man who does not understand anything & running a system on the behalf of 3 or 4 other people who understand everything: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

#WATCH | You have an incompetent man who does not understand anything & running a system on the behalf of 3 or 4 other people who understand everything: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/Ct3f7zTtjc

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2020

12:49 IST

China is still at the border. It has snatched away thousands of km of the land of India. Why doesn't PM speak about it, why is he silent?: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

12:49 IST

There is no democracy in India. It can be in your imagination, but not in reality: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Delhi Police taking party leaders into custody during their march to Rashtrapati Bhavan

12:26 IST

PM Modi is making money for the crony capitalists. Whoever will try to stand against him will be called terrorist - be it farmers, labourers and even Mohan Bhagwat, says Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

12:22 IST

Delhi Police take Priyanka Gandhi and other party leaders to Mandir Marg Police Station in New Delhi.

12:21 IST

I want to tell the PM that these farmers are not going to go back home until these farm laws are repealed. Govt should convene a joint session of Parliament and take back these laws. Opposition parties stand with farmers & labourers: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

12:16 IST

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad & Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury visit Rashtrapati Bhavan. Gandhi says, "I told the President that these farm laws are anti-farmer. The country has seen that farmers have stood up against these laws".

12:15 IST

It is a sin to use the kind of names they (BJP leaders & supporters) used for farmers. If Govt is calling them anti-nationals, then the govt is a sinner: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi

12:09 IST

We're living in democracy & they are elected MPs. They have the right to meet the President & they should be allowed. What is problem with that? Govt is not ready to listen to voices of lakhs of farmers camping at borders, says Congress' Priyanka Gandhi after being stopped by police.

12:07 IST

Delhi Police take Priyanka Gandhi and other Congress leaders into custody. They were taking out a march to Rashtrapati Bhavan to submit to the President a memorandum containing 2 crore signatures seeking his intervention in farm laws issue.

12:06 IST

"Any dissent against this govt is classified as having elements of terror. We are undertaking this march to voice our support for the farmers," says Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi.

Delhi: Congress' march to Rashtrapati Bhavan stopped by police. "Any dissent against this govt is classified as having elements of terror. We are undertaking this march to voice our support for the farmers," says Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi. pic.twitter.com/9lgpi3kRfu

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2020

12:05 IST

Congress party's march to Rashtrapati Bhawan has been stopped and Priyanka Gandhi taken into custody.

11:40 IST

Today we must remember the circumstances which led to the establishment of this university. It wasn't just British rule but in the background, were our rich ideas & history of hundreds of years of movement: PM Modi at centenary celebrations of Visva-Bharati University

11:39 IST

Guided by Gurudev (Rabindranath Tagore) Visva-Bharati presented a strong image of Indian nationalist sentiment during Independence. Gurudev wanted entire humanity to benefit from India's spiritual awakening. Atmanirbhar Bharat vision is also a derivative of this sentiment: PM Modi 

11:10 IST

PM Narendra Modi attends centenary celebrations of Visva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, via video conferencing.

PM Narendra Modi attends centenary celebrations of Visva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, via video conferencing. pic.twitter.com/iYfqnHjMYa

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2020

11:02 IST

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi meets senior party leaders & MPs at party headquarters. He is scheduled to lead a march from Vijay Chowk to Rashtrapati Bhavan to submit to the President a memorandum containing 2 crore signatures seeking his intervention in farm laws issue.

10:03 IST

The farmers unions have written to the Ministry of Agriculture saying that they were ready for talks only "if the Centre came out with with a concrete proposal without repeating proposed changes to the farm laws offered earlier," as per a report by The Times of India.

09:59 IST

Delhi's Chilla & Gazipur borders are closed for traffic coming from Noida & Gaziabad to Delhi due to farmer protests. People are advised to take alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anand Vihar, DND, Apsara, Bhopra & Loni borders: Delhi Traffic Police

08:23 IST

Jaipal Singh a, close confidant of former PM Chaudhary Charan Singh, currently lives in Baghpat UP. Jaipal Singh said that Chaudhary Charan Singh would not have supported any such movement which would create problems for the people, which would close the cities. "He would have been against the current farmers' movement, if he were alive", Jaipal Singh said.