Won't go back till farm laws repealed: Agitating farmers ahead of next round of talks with govt

On the eve of the seventh round of talks with the central government, the protesting farmers at Delhi borders said that they will not go back until the three contentious farm laws are repealed.

"Today is the 37th day of our protest. The government should leave its stubbornness. We will not go back until the agri laws are taken back. It's disappointing that farmers are losing their lives. So many farmers are braving the cold yet the government is not taking us seriously," said farmer leader Onkar Singh at Singhu border on Sunday.

The statement comes after a 75-year-old farmer was found hanging inside a toilet at the protest site. The deceased, identified as Kashmir Singh, hailed from Uttar Pradesh's Rampur district. He was popularly known as "Bapu" among farmers.

As per reports, Kashmir Singh left a suicide note, in which he has expressed his frustration over the stalemate in talks with the central government over the farm laws.

"Till when shall we sit here in the cold? This government isn't listening at all. Hence, I give up my life so that some solution emerges," Singh's note reportedly said.

The agitating farmers have continued their protest at Delhi borders despite heavy rains and biting cold across North India. After the heavy downpour on Sunday, farmers were seen huddled together under blankets inside their vehicles to keep warm

Tents were set up with waterproof tarpaulin sheets as protection from the rain.

Regarding the makeshift arrangement, farmers leader Harmeet Singh Kadian said: "It's been raining, so we are trying to get waterproof tents although they are not up to government standard. We are trying to arrange blankets and warm water for women and the elderly."

He added that they will stand strong during Monday's meeting on their demand to withdraw the three farm laws passed by the central government in September.

Another farmer leader Manjeet Singh Rai said that if the deadlock is not resolved during the meeting, the farmers will celebrate Lohri on 13 January by burning the copies of the farm laws at Singhu border. "We will celebrate Kisan Diwas on 23 January, on the occasion of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose' birth anniversary," he said.

Next round of talks

The government will meet protesting farmers' unions on Monday to break the stalemate regarding the issues of legal status to MSP and repeal of farm laws.

This will be the seventh round of talks between the two sides.

In the last meeting, a consensus was reached regarding an ordinance related to the environment and Electricity Act, the major demands of farmers were left to be discussed further on 4 January.

The central government had said after the meeting that the talks were held in a very good environment and it concluded on a positive note. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated that 50% of the farmers' demands were met.

However, the protesting unions rubbished the claim and said that they will hold a tractor march on January 6 if a concrete decision is not taken in the next meeting.

"It seems the government is taking farmers lightly. They were able to disperse Shaheen Bagh protestors and were thinking they can do the same with us. But such a day will never come. If the government does not make a decision on January 4 then farmers will have to take a decision," said Yudhvir Singh of Bhartiya Kisan Union.

The unions have said that they are not ready to back down, instead will announce dates for shutting all malls, petrol pumps in Haryana if the government fails to end the deadlock in the next meeting.