The farmers' agitation against agriculture laws has entered 21st day and farmers continue to camp on all the borders of Delhi for withdrawal of laws despite the freezing weather. Meanwhile, a petition will be heard in the Supreme Court on Wednesday against the problems caused by the farmers' protest.
Three petitions have been filed in the apex court regarding the agitation. A bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justice AS Bopanna and Justice V Ramasubramaniam will hear the petitions. A petition filed by law student Rishabh Sharma has demanded the removal of farmers from the borders of Delhi, saying that roads are being blocked by this. Emergency and medical services are being disrupted. The petition said that the protesters should be shifted to the fixed place allotted by the government. Another petition said that the Supreme Court should direct the central government to consider the demand of farmers.
The agitation of farmers against the new agricultural laws has been going on continuously for the last 21 days. The farmers have on Wednesday decided to pay tribute to all those farmers who lost their lives in the protest. Meanwhile, farmers have again warned to block the Chilla border.
Amid the protest, a group of farmers belonging to the Bharatiya Kisan Union met Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday. The news was confirmed by the minister that he met a group of farmers. However, on the other hand, the farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said in response to this news that if anyone has spoken to the Agriculture Minister, then they can go home. The farmer leader also said that the government will have to enact a law on MSP.
Notably, the cold weather in Delhi is now slowly becoming a problem for the farmers involved in the movement. Delhi's cold is troubling the elderly farmers who are taking part in the agitation and those protesting at different borders of Delhi are now facing health related problems. The number of patients in medical camps on the border is constantly increasing. Medical camps have been set up by different NGOs and the government in many places.
Meanwhile, Narendra Singh Tomar said on Tuesday that the government is willing to continue dialogue with genuine farm unions and find a solution with an open mind. He said that the farm laws have been welcomed in various states across the country.
"The farmers who met me today have supported the three farm laws. They said that they are with the laws and government. As some farmers are spreading misconception so they were also misled. When I spoke to them they clearly supported the bills," he said.
The farmer unions have held five round of talks with the Centre and attended a meeting called by Home Minister Amit Shah. They have rejected proposals of the Centre for amendments in the farm laws.