Demanding pending sugarcane dues, loan waivers and cheap electricity, hundreds of farmers from Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, were marching to Delhi's Kisan Ghat. The farmers who are rallying under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Sangathan (BKS) had started their march from Saharanpur on September 11, according to PTI. After reaching Noida on Friday where they reportedly held talks with government representatives. After failing to reach consensus, the farmers moved to the Delhi-Ghaziabad border on Saturday noon, according to sources.

Farmers gather at Ghaziabad highway with demands to Centre

Traffic police who have been monitoring the situation have claimed obstruction due to the farmers who have gathered at the national highway. Speaking to PTI, a Delhi Traffic Police officer said, "Traffic is obstructed in both carriageways from Ghazipur Border UP Gate on NH-9, NH-24 towards Nizamuddin due to the farmers' rally." The farmers are on their way to Kisan Ghat.  The Ghat is the memorial of the former prime minister and farmers' leader Chaudhary Charan Singh, in the national capital, as per PTI.

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Delegation meets Centre, rally called off

According to ANI, the protesting farmers had sent 11 representatives to the Ministry of Agriculture to place their demands to the Centre. Sources report that the delegation had a fruitful talk with the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture. Sources further report that the delegation has been assured that their demands will be put forward to the Centre and the government has asked them to give the Centre 10-15 days to address the issues. The delegation has told sources that after these talks, BKS chief Pooran Singh has called off the rally temperorily. Sources further report that the farmers have been assured by the Centre that 5 off their 15 demands will be met by the Centre. Pooran Singh has stated that they will agitate again if all their demands are not met, according to ANI.

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What are the farmers' demands?

According to reports, BKS had made 15 demands, which included full loan waivers immediate payment of sugarcane crop dues, free electricity for agriculture and pensions for aged farmers. They have also demanded that the ‘maintenance fee’ set by the U.P. government at ₹30 per day should be increased to ₹300 per day, according to reports. The farmers have also demanded the implementation of the Swaminathan Committee. The UP state government had previously asked 21 days for addressing issues, which were rejected by the farmers, stirring this protest. 

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(With agencies inputs)