Farmers to burn copies of agri laws on Lohri

Farmer leaders protesting at Delhi's Singhu border on Sunday said they will celebrate the festival of Lohri on January 13 by burning copies of newly introduced agriculture laws.

They also said they will observe the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on January 23 as 'Azad Hind Kisan Diwas'.

"We will celebrate the Lohri festival on January 13 by burning the copies of farm laws," farmers' leader Manjeet Singh Rai said.

Rai also urged people to hold protests in support of farmers across India from January 6 to 20.

Lohri is mostly celebrated in north India, marking the beginning of the spring season.

Bonfires are a special characteristic of the festival.

Another farmers' leader Onkar Singh said, "Today is the 37th day of our protest. The government should leave its stubbornness.

"In these conditions, the farmers, including elders, have been sitting on protest, but the government is not concerned about it."

Braving the cold, thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, are protesting at various borders of the national capital for more than a month against the three farm laws.

The farmers' leaders said they are ready for Monday's meeting with the government.

The next round of talks between the government and protesting farmer unions is scheduled to be held on January 4, Monday. On Friday last, the unions had announced that they would have to take firm steps if the meeting fails to resolve the deadlock.

"As the temperature is decreasing, we have tried to arrange the waterproof tents. We are also trying to arrange the blankets and warm water. Arrangements for 1,000 women have been made near the KFC with a tent and the mattresses," farmers' leader Harmeet Singh Kadian said.

The protesting farmer unions on Saturday had said they will take out a tractor parade towards Delhi on January 26, when the country will celebrate Republic Day if their demands are not met.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be in the national capital on January 26 as the chief guest at the Republic Day parade, which will be held at Rajpath.

In a statement, the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) said the success of Monday's talks depends entirely on the repeal of three farm laws.