Farmers protest live updates: Congress meet over farmers issues under away

Amid the ongoing farmers protest, the eighth round of dialogue between the government and 41 farm union representatives began here on Friday, with both sides hoping for a successful conversation to yield results and end the over one-and-a-half-month deadlock.The government began the talks signalling an outcome of positive results from the meeting while the farmers threatened to intensify the stir if their demand to repeal three contentious farm laws is not fulfilled.

Ahead of the eighth round of talks with the Central government over the new farm laws on Friday, Bharatiya Kisan Union National Spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said the farmers leaders are ready to conduct talks with the Union government 700 times, but their demands will not change.

The eighth round of talks between protesting farmer unions and three central ministers got underway here on Friday afternoon to break the over-a-month-long deadlock on recent farm laws.Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Railways, Commerce and Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, who is an MP from Punjab, are holding the talks with the representatives of around 40 farmer unions at the Vigyan Bhawan.

Even as the central government is struggling to reach a consensus regarding the ongoing farmer protest, a farmer on Friday said the tractor parade that took place on Thursday was just a trailer and they will block entire Delhi if there demands are not met.

Each side has to take steps to reach a solution, said Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday, ahead of the ninth round of dialogue between the Union government and representatives of farmer unions."I am hopeful that talks will be held in a positive atmosphere and a solution will be found. During discussions, each side has to take steps to reach a solution," the Union Minister said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday appealed to people to join the social media campaign 'Kisaan Ke Liye Bole Bharat' supporting the farmer protests. The campaign started at 10 am."Peaceful protests are an integral part of our democracy. Our farmer brothers and sisters are receiving support from all across the country. You should also join along in support of them so that the anti-farmer laws are repealed. #kisaan_ke_lie_bole_bhaart" Gandhi tweeted.

Hours before the eighth round of formal talks between the Centre and the farmers' groups agitating against three recent farm laws, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhury hoped that a resolution will come out of Friday's meeting.The eighth round of talks between three Union ministers -- Narendra Singh Tomar, Piyush Goyal and Som Parkash -- and the 40 protesting farmer unions to end the farmers' agitation is scheduled to begin at the Vigyan Bhawan here at 2 pm.

"There is no scope of clause-wise talks. The government should hold a meeting to repeal these laws today itself," says Balvinder Singh Raju, a farmer