The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella outfit of protesting farmers, on Wednesday warned the Centre against testing their patience and asked it to initiate a dialogue and accept their demands, as spells of rain compounded the woes of peasants camping on Delhi’s borders amid the pandemic.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been picketing three border points of the capital — Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur — for almost six months, demanding repeal of three new farm laws and a legal guarantee for minimum support price.

“More than 470 farmers have been martyred during the movement. Many agitators have had to leave their jobs, education and other work. The government’s attitude shows how inhuman and careless it is towards its own citizens, the ‘annadaatas (food-givers)’. If the government cares about its farmers and wants their welfare, then it should initiate dialogue with the farmers and accept their demands,” the SKM said in a statement, warning the government to “not test the patience of farmers”.

So far, there have been 11 rounds of talks between the protesting unions and the government, but the deadlock has continued.

When the BJP government, which “pretends” to look after the welfare of farmers, takes “full credit” for increasing production or export of crops, it should also take responsibility for every “human loss and other losses” taking place on the borders of Delhi, the SKM said.

The spells of rain in Delhi on Wednesday under the impact of Cyclone Tauktae, according to the protesting farmers’ union, has caused a great deal of “disruption and losses” at the agitation venues.

“It has been a chaotic situation with regard to food and accommodation due to the rains. Roads and several parts of the protest sites have been filled up with rainwater,” the farmers said.