Farmers’ Protest LIVE Updates: Ahead of Talks, Protesting Farmers Say Authorities Must Allow ‘Peaceful’ Tractor March; SC Hearing Today

Farmers’ Protest LIVE Updates: Even as uncertainty looms over their planned tractor rally on Republic Day, farmer unions agitating against the new agri laws have said their preparations are in full gear and authorities should facilitate the “peaceful march”, instead of stopping it. After the Delhi Police sought an injunction on the tractor rally, the Supreme Court on Monday said the decision on it has to be taken by the Centre and the police, and the official permission is yet to be worked out. Protesting unions, which plan to hold the rally on the Outer Ring Road in Delhi on January 26, have begun holding tractor rallies at villages in Punjab to mobilise people for the parade and said more farmers will be heading to the national capital in batches later this week.

There is a great enthusiasm among people in Punjab to become part of the tractor parade. Our batches will start moving towards Delhi from January 23 and 24, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said. Bhartiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur) president Jagjit Singh Dallewal said 20,000-25,000 tractors would come to Delhi from Punjab alone for the planned parade. “We want the government to give us permission for our rally. This is our country and it is our constitutional right to voice our needs and demands,” said Amarjeet Singh Rarra, general secretary, Deaba Kisan Committee, said on Delhi’s Singhu border.