Delhi, December 14: After observing "Bharat Bandh" on December against farm laws, the protesting farmers are holding day-long hunger strike today. Several farmer unions have unanimously decided for holding the hunger strike from 8 am to 5 pm on Monday. Farmers' Hunger Strike Today: Farmer Leaders Begin Day-Long Fast Against Farm Laws, Govt Says 'Door Always Open For Talks'.

On account of the protest, Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory on the roads to take and avoid:

  • Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Sabholi & Mangesh borders are closed. So alternate routes via Lampur, Safiabad & Singhu school toll tax borders needs to be taken.

  • Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba & GTK road. So Delhi Traffic Police tweeted saying-Please avoid Outer Ring Road, GTK road & NH-44.

  • Ghazipur border is closed for traffic coming from Ghaziabad to Delhi due to farmers' protests. People are, therefore, advised to take an alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anand Vihar, DND, Chilla, Apsara and Bhopra borders.

Harinder Singh Lakhowal, General Secy, BKU said, "We want to wake the government up. So, 40 farmer leaders of our United Farmers Front will sit on hunger strike today at all borders points between 8 am-5 pm. 25 of them will sit at Singhu border, 10 at Tikri border and 5 at UP border."

Gurnam Singh Chaduni, President, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Haryana) said that the government is misleading everyone on MSP. He said, "Home Minister Amit Shah replied to us during December 8 meet that they can't buy all 23 crops at MSP as its costs Rs 17 lakhs crores."

The farmers' call to intensify the agitation came on Saturday, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured: "Reforms will help draw investment in agriculture and benefit farmers". The government tried to engage the representatives and even Amit Shah stepped in for talks, offering changes to the laws and written assurances, but the demonstrators are not in favour of any amendments, they want the laws to be repealed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 14, 2020 10:56 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).