LIVE: Farmers won't relent before the laws are repealed: Rakesh Tikait

The 8th round of talks will be held today at 2PM and is critical as the previous meeting had remained inconclusive.

New Delhi: The fresh round of talks between the Centre and the representative of the protesting farmer unions will be held at 2PM on Friday at Delhi's Vigyan Bhavan. The meeting assumes significance as the previous meeting on January 4 ended in yet another deadlock with both sides sticking to their positions.

Though, both sides look for a resolution to end the deadlock which has lasted more than a month.

However, both the government and the farmer unions have stuck to their respective positions. With Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar claimed that the government is ready to consider any proposal other than the repeal of three farm laws and Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said that the farmers will not budge unless the three farm laws are taken back.

On Thursday, the agitating farmers took out tractor rallies from protest sites of Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders and Haryana's Rewasan to press their demand for rollback of new farm laws.

Stay tuned for latest updates on Centre and farmers' union meeting today: 

08 January 2021

18:02 IST

We'll have a new proposal and find out a solution to the matter. We'll try to resolve it at the earliest. The minister assured me that he is with us in finding a solution: Baba Lakha Singh, Head of Nanaksar Gurudwara, Kaleran after meeting Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

17:59 IST

There was a heated discussion, we said we don't want anything other than repeal of laws. We won't go to any Court, this (repeal) will either be done or we'll continue to fight. Our parade on 26th Jan will go on as planned: Hannan Mollah, General Secretary, All India Kisan Sabha, told ANI.

15:17 IST

The farmer union leaders are now speaking in turns, initially the Agriculture Minister appealed to the farmers to keep in mind the farmers of the whole country.

15:12 IST

As the meeting commences the farmer leaders have reiterated that they have only one demand that is the rollback of the three contentious farm laws.

14:52 IST

As many as 41 farmer union epresentatives are present at the mmeting.

14:44 IST

The three Union ministers have arrived at Vigyan Bhawan, the officers too are present the meeting will start in a few minutes.

14:34 IST

Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal arrive at Vigyan Bhavan.

14:05 IST

Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash at VIgyan Bhawan ahead of meeting with farmers.

13:37 IST

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence before the meeting with farmers at Vigyan Bhawan.

13:35 IST

BKU's Rakesh Tikait while talking to Zee News, said that in the meeting with Centre they will first see what option the government suggests. Asks if the "Central Government will leave the implementation of these laws on the states?"

13:14 IST

Farmer Union leaders arrive at Vigyan Bhawan for the eighth round of talks with the Centre. The meeting will begin at 2 pm.

12:06 IST

On Thursday, thousands of farmers took part in tractor marches from protest sites at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders and Haryana's Rewasan against the three farm laws amid heavy police deployment. According to the protesting farmer unions, this is just a "rehearsal" for their proposed January 26 tractor parade that will move towards Delhi from different parts of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

12:02 IST

Discussing about the future of the agitation, Rakesh Tikait said, "We are planning and preparing a road map till May 2024. We will continue with our farming will keep the movement alive side-by-side."

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12:00 IST

Rakesh Tikait assured that the protesting farmers are taking full precautions against the coronavirus. "We are following the protocols and are maintianing clealiness," Tikait said.

Taking a dig at the ruling dispensation Tikait said that the government should also follow the rules. "The COVID rules were broken during the Bihar elections while in Jharkhand, road marches were carried out," he said.

11:55 IST

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Spokesperson Rakesh Tikait told Zee News that the three contentious farm laws must be repealed. Tikait said that the farmers have stood by their demands for the roll back of the three farm laws, MSP rules and implementation of Swami Nathan's report and nothing short of this will work.