NEW DELHI: Braving the harsh cold of Delhi, thousands of farmers protesting against the three recent agri laws remained steadfast in their demands of repealing the legislations as their agitation entered its fourth week.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the national capital recorded its coldest day on Saturday with the minimum temperature dropping to 3.9 degrees Celsius at the Safdarjung Observatory, which provides the representative data for the city.
The mercury dipped to even lower levels in some parts of the city, recording 3.3 degrees Celsius and 3.4 degrees Celsius at Lodhi Road and Ayanagar, respectively.
The agitation has also led to traffic diversions at various border points causing inconvenience to commuters.
Taking to Twitter on Saturday, the Delhi Traffic Police alerted commuters about the closure of certain roads and suggested them to take alternative routes.
It said the Ghazipur border is closed for traffic coming from Noida and Ghaziabad due to the ongoing protest.
However, those travelling to Delhi can take alternative routes via Anad Vihar, DND, Apsara and Bhopra borders, it said.
"Tikri, Dhansa Borders are closed for any Traffic Movement. Jhatikara Borders is open only for two wheelers and pedestrian movement," it said in a tweet.
However, for those travelling to Haryana, the Delhi Traffic Police said some borders are opened -- the Jharoda border (only for single carriageway), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH 8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera.
The Chilla border between Noida and Delhi is open for traffic but just one carriageway.
However, the other carriageway from Noida to Delhi is closed, according to the traffic police.
"Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Sabholi & Mangesh borders are closed. Please take alternate routes via Lampur, Safiabad & Singhu school toll tax borders. Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba & GTK road," the traffic police said.
"Please avoid Outer Ring Road, GTK road, NH-44," it tweeted.
Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at various border of Delhi for almost four weeks now as formal talks between the government and representatives of farmers' unions remained deadlocked with protesting peasants refusing to accept anything less than a repeal of the newly enacted laws.
The farmers have been saying these new laws will pave the way for a dismantling of the Minimum Support Price mechanism and the mandi system, leaving them to the "mercy" of big corporates, apprehensions the government insists are misplaced.
The unions also said they will decide their next course of action in the next two-three days, after the Supreme Court earlier this week pointed out it was thinking of setting up an "impartial and independent" panel of agriculture experts and peasants' unions to resolve the deadlock.
Farmer leader Shiv Kumar Kakka said discussions among unions are currently underway to decide their strategy, adding that they are also seeking legal opinion on the matter.
"Our meetings are being held for the next course of action. We are hopeful that in the next two-three days, we will have clarity on whether we should be part of a committee as suggested by the court," Kakka told PTI.
Another leader Balbir Singh said farmers will not call off their protests until their demands are met.
"We are ready for a long haul. We are here for our rights. We are in the process to decide our stand following the court's order," he also said.
Thousands of farmers have been staying put at several Delhi border points for the last 23 days, demanding a repeal of the new agri laws.
Meanwhile, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) Saturday claimed that 33 farmers participating in the ongoing protests have so far died since November 26 due to accidents, illness and cold weather conditions.
According to AIKS, 'Homage Day' will be observed in different parts of the country on Sunday to pay tributes to those farmers who lost their lives.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court had acknowledged the right of farmers to non-violent protests and mooted the idea of putting on hold the contentious farm laws to enable negotiations with the agitating farmers, which was opposed by the Centre, which said the agriculturists would not come forward for the talks then.
The apex court, which made it clear that the issue of farmers' protest and the right of others to move freely would be dealt on priority at the moment and not the validity of the laws, also said it was thinking of setting up an "impartial and independent" panel of agriculture experts and farmer unions to resolve the impasse.
The top court said it was of the view that the farmers' right to protest should not infringe the fundamental right of others to move freely and in getting essential food and other supplies as right to protest cannot mean blocking the entire city.
The apex court, which said it was worried with the way things are going on, was told by both the Centre and one of the farmers' unions that the negotiations are not happening at the moment.