Farmer unions threaten to intensify protests, announces multiple actions if Jan 4 talks with govt fail

Farmer unions on Friday warned that they will start shutting all malls and petrol pumps in Haryana if the government fails to resolve their main demands for the repeal of three new farm laws and a legal guarantee for MSP in the January 4 meeting.

Addressing a press conference at the Singhu border protest site, representatives of farmer unions said that only 5% of the issues raised by them have so far been discussed in meetings with the government.

They outlined multiple protest actions over a month if their main demands are not met, in an announcement a few days before Republic Day celebrations.

At a meeting of Samkyukt Kisan Morcha -- an umbrella body of around 40 farmer unions protesting at several Delhi border points -- several decisions were taken.

Farmers' organisations under the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), after a meeting at Singhu border, on Friday said that if the talks with the government on January 4 fail then they will intensify the protest and hold a tractor rally on January 6 on Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) expressway.

The farmers' union will also hold a joint press conference on Saturday.

The statement from the SKM said, "If the 6th round talks with the government are not fruitful then the Shahjahanpur border blockage will be moved towards Delhi, and 'Desh Jagruti Abhiyan' will be organised from January 6 to 20 across the country."

Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav said that the government has not moved an inch on the two main issues -- repeal of three agri laws and legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP).

Spelling out their next course of action, Yadav said that while talks with the Union government will go on, farmer unions will intensify the protest simultaneously and take it to every corner of the country.

"If the January 4 meeting with the government fails to end the deadlock, we will announce dates for shutting all malls, petrol pumps in Haryana," another farmer leader, Vikas, told reporters.

The SKM had also appealed to the common people to celebrate the New Year with the farmers at the protest site. "The appeal made by the SKM got good response at various borders of the national capital," the statement said.

A lot of people including farmers across the country also took a pledge to participate in the protest and support the movement.

"Delhi For Farmers" also organised protests in different parts of Delhi from 8 am to late in the evening and farmers from Barnala reached Tikri border on Friday by driving their tractor in reverse gear.

Ex-servicepersons also extended solidarity to the farmers at the Ghazipur border as they celebrated the New Year with them and organised a massive cleanliness drive. Apart from this, Buddhist monks reached in large numbers in support of protesting farmers at the Gazipur border.

Farmers in other parts of the country also organised indefinite dharnas/sit-ins. The SKM also appreciated the resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly in support of the farmers' movement.

After the sixth round of formal negotiations on Wednesday, the government and farm unions reached some common ground to resolve protesting farmers' concerns over rise in power tariff and penalties for stubble burning, but the two sides remained deadlocked over the repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee for MSP.