Dilli Chalo protest: Farmers refuse to go to Burari; Amarinder urges them to accept Shah's appeal

As farmers on Sunday continued their protest against the Central farm laws at the Ghaziabad-Delhi border, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) asked why they were being appealed to shift their demonstration to Nirankari Samagam Ground in Burari on the outskirts of the national capital.

"Protests happen at Ramlila ground, then why should we go to Nirankari Bhawan, a private facility? We will stay put here today," ANI quoted Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait as speaking.

This comes hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah appealed to the farmers' union to gather on Nirankari Samagam Ground, saying the Centre was ready to hold talks even before the scheduled day of December 3.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened on the Delhi-Haryana border as farmers, who are opposing the farm laws, stayed put at the Delhi border points.

The farmers further said the government should come forward with an "open heart" and not with a "condition".

"Amit Shah ji has called for an early meeting on a condition; it is not good. He should have offered talks with an open heart without any condition. We'll hold a meeting tomorrow (Sunday) morning to decide on our response," said Jagjit Singh, BKU's Punjab President, squatting at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana).

The Delhi administration has allotted the Burari ground to the farmers for protesting. While some hundred shifted there on Saturday morning after they were allowed to enter Delhi through Tikri border, thousand others are demanding that they be allowed to enter the heart of the city.

The Home Minister said that the Centre was ready to deliberate on every problem and demand of the farmers as soon as they move to the ground allocated by the Delhi Police.

The farmers of Kisan Union Amristar said that if the government really wished to hear their problems, they can visit the farmers at the Singhu border.

"If the government really wants to hold talks, they should come to the Singhu border. This government does not want to talk to the farmers at all; they just want to show off in front of the country and show everyone that the farmers don't want a dialogue. We want the farm laws to be scrapped, that is all," Jaskaran Singh of Kisan Union Amristar said.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday urged the protesting farmers to reciprocate to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's gesture by accepting his appeal to shift to a designated place, thus paving the way for early talks to resolve their issues.

Reacting to Shah's offer to hold discussions with the farmers at the earliest, Amarinder Singh said it is in the best interest of the farming community and the nation at large.

Shah's statement reflecting the Centre's willingness to listen to the farmers is a welcome step, said the Chief Minister, stressing that the only solution to the current stalemate on the farm laws issue is discussion.

Pointing out that the purpose of their protest is not to block highways and inconvenience people but to pressurise the Central government to listen to their voice, the Chief Minister said the farmers have already won half the battle by bringing the Union government to the negotiating table without further delay.

The farmers should grab the Union Home Minister's offer and make the most of the opportunity to resolve the crisis triggered by the central laws, Amarinder Singh said.

He and his government are prepared to extend their full support to these negotiations, and are willing to mediate in the collective interest of all, Amarinder Singh said.

The farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, embarked on 'Dilli Chalo' march to protest against the three new farm laws. The Tikri border with Haryana has been opened to enable the farmers to proceed to Nirankari Samagam Ground, marked for their protest by Delhi Police.

(With agency inputs)