Farmers threaten to block Delhi-Jaipur highway; plan hunger strike on Dec 14

Amid the prevailing deadlock between farmers and the central government over the new farm laws, the agitation in and around Delhi entered its 18th day on Sunday, with the protesters threatening to block Delhi-Jaipur highway.

Meanwhile, at Singhu (Delhi-Haryana) border, security has been beefed up in view of the farmers' call to intensify the agitation. The city police had on Saturday increased security arrangements by deploying additional personnel and placing more concrete barriers.

"Thousands of farmers will begin a tractor march at 11 am on December 13 from Shahjahanpur in Rajasthan and block the Jaipur-Delhi main road," Sanyukta Kisan Andolan leader Kamal Preet Singh Pannu had said on Saturday.

Earlier the farmers had planned to block the highways connecting the national capital with Jaipur and Agra on Saturday but deferred the Delhi-Jaipur highway blockade plan till Sunday.

The farmer union leader added they will sit on fast from 8 am to 5 pm on December 14 at Singhu border.

"On December 14, all farmer leaders will sit on fast sharing the stage at Singhu border. We want the government to take back the three farm laws; we're not in the favour of the proposed amendments. The Centre wants to thwart our movement but we'll continue it peacefully," he said.

Pannu alleged that the central government is trying to "fail" the farmers' movement, making attempts to divide the farmers.

"We'll foil any attempt by the Centre to fail our movement. The government made a few small attempts to divide us and instigate people. But, we will peacefully take this movement towards victory," he stated.

A delegation of farmers from Haryana, including those connected with Farmer Producer Organisation, had expressed their support, in a letter, for the three farm laws with the modifications proposed by the central government, on Saturday.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had said, "Progressive farmer leaders from Haryana met me and submitted a memorandum with their signatures supporting the three farm laws. They also shared their experiences on how these laws are benefitting them."

Meanwhile, Tomar has appealed to the protesters to stop their agitation as talks are still going on. Farmers have been protesting in and around the national capital since November 26 against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance, and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

(With ANI inputs)