Have come to Delhi for decisive battle, say farmer leaders; Protest against agri laws to continue

Farmers protesting against the Centre's new agri laws at Delhi border points on Monday said they have come to the national capital for a "decisive battle" and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to listen to their "mann ki baat".

Farmers protesting against the Centre's new agri laws at Delhi border points on Monday said they have come to the national capital for a "decisive battle" and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to listen to their "mann ki baat". Addressing a press conference at Singhu border, a representative of protesting farmers said that they will continue their agitation until their demands are met.

"Our demands are non-negotiable," Jagmohan Singh, general secretary Bhartiya Kisan Union (Dakaunda), said and claimed the ruling party "will have to pay a heavy price" if it does not heed to their concerns. "We have come here to fight a decisive battle," Singh said.

"We will remain at Delhi borders and make our strategy from here. We have come to Delhi to ask the prime minister to listen to 'mann ki baat' of farmers, else the government and the ruling party will have to pay a heavy price...," he said. BKU Haryana president Gurnam Singh Chaduni said that around 31 cases have so far been registered against protestors to "suppress" their agitation, adding that farmers will continue their stir until their demands are met.

Former AAP leader Yogendra Yadav, who is also a member of Akhil Bhartiya Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti's national working group, alleged that five lies are being spread about the farmers' agitation including that only farmers from Punjab were protesting. Yadav, who is also Swaraj India chief, said that this "historic agitation" by farmers from various states will yield "historic results".

Chaduni claimed that due to the Centre's new laws, agri business in the country will be monopolised by corporates. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had appealed to the farmers to shift to the Burari ground and had said the Centre was ready to hold discussions with them as soon as they move to the designated place.

A meeting of over 30 farmer groups on Sunday rejected Shah's offer for talks before the scheduled date of December 3 and demanded an unconditional dialogue. Thousands of protesters refused to budge and spent another night in the cold at the Singhu and Tikri border points.

Their representatives had said that Shah's condition that they shift the protest is not acceptable and claimed Burari ground is an "open jail"..

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)