The Central government has permitted the protesting farmers to enter Delhi and assemble in Nirankari Grounds in Burari for talks.
The decision was taken after Union Home Ministry officials had discussions with the farmer leaders. The protesters welcomed the decision and said that the government has surrendered to "the will and resolve of farmers of India to march into the National Capital, to voice their demands, and express their resistance against the three black central farm laws".
Several thousand farmers from Punjab and Haryana have started reaching the borders of Delhi since this morning. It had resulted in skirmishes on the border after police started using water cannons and tear-gas on farmer groups. "Farmers have shown exemplary discipline and restraint in pushing ahead to Delhi peacefully. Roads have been dug up by the administration to prevent farmers from travelling but they have filled up the ditches with their own hands. "This is a ditch that the government has dug for itself in fact," said the protestors in statement.
The protestors said that Delhi should see an inflow of lakhs of farmers by tomorrow, including from Uttar Pradesh and other states.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha formed to coordinate the Dilli Chalo call has sent a letter to the Prime Minister to give permission to the farmers in Delhi and make arrangements for their comfortable stay. They have grievances against the Central government "for having passed three pro-corporate and pro-MNC farm laws and the proposed Electricity Bill 2020, detrimental to their existence and future".
The leaders said that the Central government should stop putting obstacles in the path of democratic assertion by India's farmers. Farmer groups also castigated the Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar's assertion about talks with farmers on December 3. "The Central government has no declared agenda to discuss with the farmers. Farmers are clear about it. They want the three Acts and Electricity Bill 2020 have to go. If the Central government has any stand on this, it should state so. If not, it should not create any confusion about talks. Question of talks is to befool the rest of the country and those who are not fully acquainted with the issues. If the Central government declares so, then an atmosphere for talks can be created in which all farmer organisations will participate," they said.
In the morning, several trade unions, students, women and democratic organisations held a protest at Jantar Mantar to assert their support for the farmers' demands.
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