Farmers protest

The farmer leaders also made their position clear, giving a message to the government through media that "repeal the three central farm acts or use force to evict us"--a declaration which comes amid the ongoing protest entering 38th day on Saturday after six round of government farmer talks and the next dialogue fixed on January 4.

The country is facing a tragedy like Champaran; then, the British were Company Bahadur, and now the friends of PM are Company Bahadur," he tweeted in Hindi. "But the agitating farmers are 'satyagrahis'; they will take their rights," he added.

Farmers protesting at the Delhi-Haryana border have announced to celebrate the 'Martyrdom Day' of Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, the sons of Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, on December 27 and 28. Under this programme, farmers from Punjab have made arrangements for organising 'Kirtan Durbar' and 'langar' here.

Despite the appeal, 1,235 towers (against 700 before the tweet) were downed at 6.30 p.m. on Saturday. Despite this, 400 sites were upped by companies. As of 8 a.m. on Sunday, 1,338 sites were down and almost 151 sites were down since 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Amarinder Singh had constituted the committee under Monket Singh Ahluwalia, who was the Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission during UPA regime when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister.

In a statement here, former minister Daljit Singh Cheema said it was shocking that at a time when Punjabis were combating the scourge of Covid-19, the Chief Minister was working as per the agenda dictated to him by the BJP-led Central government as well as the corporate sector.

"Heavy police force has been deployed at the Delhi-Gurugram border and adjoining areas like Bilaspur, Panchgaon, Kherki Daula toll, Dundahera-Delhi border and Haryana-Rajasthan border on the National Highway-48," a senior police official said.

"The matter is between the government and the farmers. Why is the government seeking to give the opposition this opportunity," Rawat, who is the party's Punjab in-charge, told IANS in an interview.

Modi's sudden visit to the Gurudwara comes amid the agitation organised by the farmers of Punjab in the national Capital, which may be seen as a move to placate them. However, the BJP leaders say that the PM's visit is a matter of pure faith and should not be seen from any other perspective.

Speaking at an Assocham event, he also said that in a bid to make India self-reliant, the country is committed to take up reforms across sectors. His statement came even as a large protesting multitude continued to pressure for rollback sitting at Delhi's doorstep.