No nod for tractor rally

The Delhi Police on Thursday denied permission to the agitating farmers to take out a tractor rally on Delhi's outer ring road on the Republic Day.

The farmers, in turn, rejected the police suggestion to restrict the tractor rally to the peripheral roads around the national capital.

On the Government's offer on Wednesday to put on hold the three contentious farm laws for one-and-a-half years, until the Supreme Court-appointed panel gives its report, the unions remained firm on their decision that "if there is no repeal of the farm laws, there will be no ghar wapsi."

"We won't return without completing the task for which we have come to Delhi," the morcha announced while its leaders said the government has linked suspension of the laws with the Supreme Court-appointed panel which the farmers have refused to meet. So, the government's suggestion is not acceptable unless and until the three laws are repealed.

The union leaders will meet Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday and convey their decision rejecting his offer to hold back the farm laws pending the panel's recommendations.

The farmer union leaders said their 10 meetings with the government have yielded nothing tangible; nonetheless, they would continue to hold talks while continuing with their peaceful agitation which completes 60 days on Sunday.

They said farmers from Punjab, Haryana and some other states have set out with their tractors to join the rally on January 26.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Courtappointed panel started its consultation process on Thursday and interacted with 10 farmer organisations from eight states, including Uttar Pradesh.