Delhi’s key borders with Haryana, UP continue to remain closed. Rahul Gandhi asked how many more lives farmers would sacrifice. PM Modi defends farm sector reforms
New Delhi: The border points of Delhi with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, including Singhu, Tikri, Dhansa, Auchandi, Mangesh, Chila and Gazipur continue to remain closed for movements in view of the farmer protests as they continue their protests at the borders.
Delhi Traffic Police say, ‘Jharoda (Only Single Carriageway/Road), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH 8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera Borders are the ones open with Haryana and can be used for commute.’
According to the police on Saturday morning, these border points continue to remain closed and motorists have been advised to take alternative routes and those border points that are open.
Jhatikra border with Haryana is open, but, only for the movement of two-wheelers and pedestrians, the traffic police update added. Meanwhile, there are local reports from Punjab and Haryana regarding the movement of more farmers coming from far-flung areas of Punjab and heading towards Singhu to join those who are sitting in for the protest.
Farmers who have plans to intensity their protests further on December 14 are preparing to hold the ground even between more harsh weather with forecasts of light rain and increasing cold.
How many more lives will farmers sacrifice, asks Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday wondered as to how many more farmers will have to sacrifice their lives while protesting in such harsh cold weather conditions before the government listens to them.
Taking to Twitter, Mr. Gandhi said, ‘How many more lives will our farmers have to sacrifice to get the new agri laws repealed’. Along with his tweet, Mr. Gandhi shared a report with the photographs of 11 farmers which said that a total of 11 farmers have died in the past 15 days amid the protests at the Singhu and Tikri borders.
Congress communications chief Randeep Singh Surjewala also took a dig at the PM Modi-led government saying that even after losing 11 precious farmers in the past 17 days, the government’s heart did not melt.
Accused the government of still standing by the capitalists and not with the farmers, he asked the government to apologize to the farmers who were sitting out in the open in the harsh weather and fulfill their demands.
PM defends farm sector reforms
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday defended the agriculture sector reforms his government has initiated, saying farmers would get access to more markets and more investment, and advantages of technology.
He reaffirmed his commitment to agriculture and said the reforms would take down the old barriers built around the vital sector and related sectors of the economy such as food processing and cold storage.
“We are bridging the gaps in the sector that will provide new markets and opportunities to farmers and attract investments,” said the Prime Minister, addressing business chamber FICCI’s 93rd annual general meeting and annual convention via video-conferencing.
Prime Minister Modi also asked the private sector to do more for the sector. “The more support farmers get the better their products will be,” he said.
Modi made the statement as the standoff between the government and the farmers who are protesting for the last two weeks demanding a repeal of recently passed farm laws entered its 17th day with their unions threatening to block railways and highways while the government has offered more talks.
