she is being held prisoner by her father. the bbc has obtained video in which she says she's being kept in solitary confinement, after an earlier escape attempt. sheikh mohammed bin rashid al maktoum says princess latifa is safe in the care of the family. president biden is taking questions from the public in his first town hall debate, so he can broadcast his post—trump agenda and promote his coronavirus relief package. viewers have become accustomed to televised town halls with election candidates — debates with presidents, like this one in wisconsin, are unusual. in myanmar, the trial of the detained civilian leader, aung san suu kyi, has begun behind closed doors. she faces a new charge of violating the country's natural disaster law, on top of an earlier charge of possessing illegal communications equipment. protests against the military coup have continued across myanmar.

now on bbc news, it's time for hardtalk. welcome to hardtalk. i'm stephen sackur. thousands of indian farmers are keeping up their long—running protest against modi government farm law reform. but india's pinister has faced down a host of opponents in the past. is modi versus the farmers a defining moment for india? my a defining moment for india? my guest today is yogendra yadav, leader of the swaraj party and prominent backer of the farmers' cause. is modi versus the farmers a defining moment for india?

yogendra yadav, welcome to hardtalk. thank you. you are on the co—ordinating committee of the co—ordinating committee of the main group behind the farmers protests. we have been watching them for the last weeks and months but it does seem as though right now, they may be losing momentum. is that right? may be losing momentum. is that riuht? ., ., right? not quite. in an extraordinary - right? not quite. in an l extraordinary movement right? not quite. in an - extraordinary movement of this kind, given the size, scale and time, you have a bit of ups and downs. remember, we're looking at near about 100,000 farmers

camping outside the capital, delhi. remember, it is nearly three months ago so yes, people come and go and yes, the mainstream media would like to imagine we do not exist anymore but all you have to do is send your correspondence out there to see farmers with a result unmatched in numbers the country is not seen in situation which is impossible. the indian winter is nothing compared to the british wind up but if you have to stay out like we did, it shows an unusual result which continues to be there. unusual result which continues to be there-— unusual result which continues to be there. ., ., , to be there. the government has said it is suspending _ to be there. the government has said it is suspending the - said it is suspending the implementation of the three farm laws you are upset about, while the committee looks at the detail and considers adaptation and change. why are you not prepared to give that committee a chance, tell all of

the farmers to go home and the tension? ., ., , ., tension? the government has not stated as yet. _ tension? the government has not stated as yet, the _ tension? the government has not stated as yet, the supreme - stated as yet, the supreme court has stopped strangely without assigning any reason or even at the time of limit. the government has made an offer, provided different issues. but i do not understand the logic. we do not know what will happen in a year and a half on one thing that would happen for so is the troubles will not go away so that does not work for the farmers. the reasons why they are unwilling to work with minor amendments is because the basic implementation of three laws is empty farm law. you can

tweak a law, amended, one side probation, but if the main intent of the law itself is something you objected, how can you agree to an amendment. what you agree to an amendment. what is anti- farmer— you agree to an amendment. what is anti- farmer about _ you agree to an amendment. what is anti- farmer about the _ is anti— farmer about the desire to make farming more prosperous? prime minister modi, back into thousand 16 promised to double farmers incomes over the following six years. he has not achieved that yet but he says this reform is absolutely crucial to delivering on his promise to make farmers substantially better off. i make farmers substantially better off-— better off. i am glad you remembered _ better off. i am glad you remembered that - better off. i am glad you i remembered that promise. better off. i am glad you - remembered that promise. in reality, the growth has been less than 2%. it was promised it would be doubled in six years. the fact is, the

government has yet to offer formal statistics... it government has yet to offer formal statistics... ii i government has yet to offer formal statistics. . .- formal statistics... if i may, but of the — formal statistics... if i may, but of the point _ formal statistics... if i may, but of the point is _ formal statistics... if i may, but of the point is narendra| but of the point is narendra modi and his team say there is no way to deliver greater prosperity to the farming industry without introducing the market much more thoroughly and complete to agricultural economics and that is precisely why they want to get away from this statement purchasing system and allow private sector companies to move in to the purchase of agricultural produce. purchase of agricultural produce-— purchase of agricultural roduce. . , ., , ., produce. that is how they would want to presented and - produce. that is how they would want to presented and they - produce. that is how they would | want to presented and they want to believe, the simple fact is that indian agricultural marketing continues to be largely private. the state purchases quantum of that and it is actually than 10% as per the government's own claims. what the farmers need is a better marketing infrastructure. they have been

demanding it. the government has not responded to it. they need better protection against mitigation. the government has to do something about it. they do not respond to it... to do something about it. they do not respond to it. . .- do not respond to it... they do, do not respond to it... they do. the _ do not respond to it... they do, the government - do not respond to it... they do, the government has - do not respond to it... they| do, the government has said that guarantee a price support to ensure a minimum price guarantee will be maintained in this new system they want to introduce. this new system they want to introduce-— introduce. this is one of the beautifully _ introduce. this is one of the beautifully designed - introduce. this is one of the beautifully designed lies - introduce. this is one of the | beautifully designed lies the government peddles all the time. the government officially announces any masks upon prize. 0nce announces any masks upon prize. once the government says this is the price farmers should get, the government should do something about letting them haven't but having announced, the government goes to sleep. the minimum support price is a formal assurance but the

reality is not more than two or three are actually procured purchases. the government of india officially admits that only 6% of farmers benefit. 94% do not stop what kind of a guarantee is that? and that is exactly what we are asking for. simply saying, do not give us the gift you want to give us, give us the gift we want. declare a minimum support price, just keep it to us. you price, 'ust keep it to us. you seem price, just keep it to us. you seem to _ price, just keep it to us. you seem to be _ price, just keep it to us. you seem to be in _ price, just keep it to us. you seem to be in the _ price, just keep it to us. you seem to be in the bizarre position of protecting and defending the status quo and the status quo for the last generation or so has been very bad for many, many farmers, not least because more than 10,000 a year commit suicide, living in absolute poverty and rural misery. why are you intent on

defending a system which clearly does not work? that is not fair on _ clearly does not work? that is not fair on the _ clearly does not work? that is not fair on the farmers - clearly does not work? that is not fair on the farmers union l not fair on the farmers union team. we, the farmers association, have been demanding reform year after year. we actually propose to laws. we placed before the indian parliament two pieces of law demanding exactly the kind of reforms that we need. of course, it needs reform. structural reform. because we are in an economic and ecological crisis which is turning into an existential crisis. we need something to be done but it is not something we wanted, something that is going to benefit the farmers but something which not a single farmers union ever asked for. isn't this really about where it is going, the very soul of india today because narendra

modi's proposition is the country needs reform. fear of the market is inherent in the psyche of many societies that were exposed to socialistic protectionist practices for far too long. that is a mindset that narendra modi and his team are determined to get rid of and perhaps a mindset that perhaps you and some others ahead of this farmers movement are still defending. that ahead of this farmers movement are still defending.— are still defending. that could be an impression _ are still defending. that could be an impression from - are still defending. that could | be an impression from outside and i think it would be a pdf the soul of india would be reduced to markets. i thought that would find something better... to that would find something better- - -— that would find something better... ., , ., better... to be fact, that was i interpretation _ better... to be fact, that was i interpretation about - better... to be fact, that was i interpretation about how . better... to be fact, that was i i interpretation about how deep this argument is. he did not use that phrase. as i said at the beginning, narendra modi

versus the farmers is an existentially important moment for india and i am trying to geta for india and i am trying to get a sense of the vision you have for the india you are currently fighting for. we have been saying — currently fighting for. we have been saying quite _ currently fighting for. we have been saying quite clearly - currently fighting for. we have been saying quite clearly that| been saying quite clearly that we want state support. if you are calling it socialistic, in that case the us is socialistic. i do not know of any country in the world that does not offer support to its agriculture. at the moment, and i want to place it on record, a study has shown that the indian state has offered negative subsidies. mark my words. negative subsidies to farmers for the last two decades or so. the idea of socialistic states offering great things to the farmers is myth stop this is textbook economics in reality. we need protective markets, we

need some minimum prices and after that we want free market to flow. �* , ., after that we want free market toflow. �*, ., ., to flow. let's get to tactics and where _ to flow. let's get to tactics and where you _ to flow. let's get to tactics and where you go - to flow. let's get to tactics and where you go from - to flow. let's get to tactics i and where you go from where to flow. let's get to tactics - and where you go from where you are today because it seems to me something very important happened onjanuary 26 which is republic day in india but to the point, this year was a day which saw really serious clashes between police in delhi, right in the centre of delhi, right in the centre of delhi, and a host of protesters who did appear, according to the pictures i saw, to be intent on violence. how damaging was that? it was seen all over india by many millions of people. how damaging was it to your cause?— to your cause? this is not make for aood to your cause? this is not make for good pictures _ to your cause? this is not make for good pictures at _ to your cause? this is not make for good pictures at all. - to your cause? this is not make for good pictures at all. this - for good pictures at all. this was a day when nearly 300,000— 400,000 track is much into the capital. according to the

programme we had announced, every single of those protesters was carrying indian national flags, protesters was carrying indian nationalflags, there protesters was carrying indian national flags, there was a systemic route. the route was broken. the police say it was broken. the police say it was broken because of indiscipline. every evidence so far points to everything other than that that police allowed them. and the most amazing thing, the place where the prime minister of india addresses the nation from on the 15th of august, a very sacred place, the police say you entered it. the question is, how is it that on the republic day, one a day when everyone expected something to happen, hundreds, possibly thousands of people were allowed inside that sacred

place and how is it that in the presence of police, and you can see them sitting on chairs, there was a long bbc footage were police are sitting, watching, allowing all this to happen... watching, allowing all this to happen- - -_ watching, allowing all this to happen... i'm sorry, but i am confused _ happen... i'm sorry, but i am confused about _ happen... i'm sorry, but i am confused about what - happen... i'm sorry, but i am confused about what point. confused about what point you're making. indian government officials have drawn parallels about what happen in the mob assault on the us capital and have said what happened in the deli was equally unacceptable. i do not know if you be misquoted but i saw a quote of you saying i feel ashamed of the way things proceeded and i take responsibility for it. so was that a misquote or do you feel a sense of shame? this is completely unacceptable, for this to happen at the red fort on the public day. so you do feel a sense of shame? i want to be

very clear because indians across the country will be listening to your words, so that was shameful? how do you ensure this never ever happens again. what do you do with the extremists in your midst? i am sa in: extremists in your midst? i am saying quite — extremists in your midst? i am saying quite clearly _ extremists in your midst? i am saying quite clearly what - saying quite clearly what happened was shameful. every indian would be ashamed of what happened and we, farmers unions have said, we did not approve of it, we did not allow this but we are willing to take moral responsibility because what happened was wrong. we are also saying with the police please look into how it happened? would we actually have the public documentation of he was allowed, why were they allowed, the way they work, and why was it that someone was allowed to use a public address system, someone with nine separatist properties, was allowed to be there and get out quietly? there are lots and lots of questions that have to be

answered.— questions that have to be answered. , , ., answered. yes, i understand yogendra — answered. yes, i understand yogendra yadav, _ answered. yes, i understand yogendra yadav, some - answered. yes, i understand yogendra yadav, some of. answered. yes, i understand| yogendra yadav, some of the questions are being allayed at your door and i understand there is a police investigation and you have been named as one of those that the police want to investigate. what is happening without? will, the olice happening without? will, the police have — happening without? will, the police have come _ happening without? will, the police have come out - happening without? will, the police have come out with i happening without? will, the police have come out with a l police have come out with a generous charge, and saying all the leaders need to be investigated. they are saying fine, let's investigate, let's find out and get to specifics. this is not the first time. this is not the first time. this is not the first time. this is the standard pattern in india for the last couple of years. you have a protest. the police use the media to defame the protesters and then they send goons, protected by the police, this is happened twice already, and then there are all kinds of cases and criminalisation of dissent is not something new. this is a pattern that has been used. you call it the criminalisation of

dissent, again, you are aware that the government and some of its media backers have quite specifically said that the farmers movement have been taken over by those seeking to achieve their objective of of a thick separatist groups are also those from outside the country are also pursuing an islamist agenda. as you know it, are either a gender is part of what motivates some people, currently sitting in your protest camp? —— sikh. currently sitting in your protest camp? -- sikh. nothing could be more _ protest camp? -- sikh. nothing could be more ridiculous - protest camp? -- sikh. nothing could be more ridiculous than . could be more ridiculous than that. those who were sitting in these camps are people who sons and in some cases daughters, are serving the country on the borders. the farmers are mostly from those states of pinjarra and bordering state, areas that are contributing maximum numbers to the indian army and

we have witnessed in the course of this, that the soldiers who died, their parents are here, so to call them, and this is not beginning from the january 26, right from the beginning, the government has been intent on ways of wearing down the farmers, they said that they were agents of the political parties, and they have said everything, but the farmers movement has taken a very clear step and since you are interested in what i have to say, onjanuary interested in what i have to say, on january the 14th, interested in what i have to say, onjanuary the 14th, there was a declaration by someone to say go and find and fly the palace di honey flag and —— the palestinian flag and i went public on that they are enemies of the movement, and the farmers movement have called for a social boycott of those other than those who have flown the tricolour. i

other than those who have flown the tricolour.— the tricolour. i refer to this as the existential - the tricolour. i refer to this as the existential moment | the tricolour. i refer to this i as the existential moment for india. right now, it looks as though prime minister narendra modi commands the support of a clear majority of the indian people, including those who have watched the stand—off with the farmers movement. if you look at opinion polling, his approval ratings are still high. still it looks as if the bjp is in a strong position to do well in regional elections in april. how can you explain the popularity continuing of narendra modi? in the popularity continuing of narendra modi?_ the popularity continuing of narendra modi? in my previous birth i narendra modi? in my previous birth i was— narendra modi? in my previous birth i was a — narendra modi? in my previous birth i was a technical- narendra modi? in my previous birth i was a technical pulse - birth i was a technical pulse does so i would resist the temptation of getting into polling and such like that i would simply say, look, the larger question of his popularity is beside the point in this particular instance. we are speaking of one particular

segment, the largest segment, mainly the farmers of india he was saying narendra modi, you have given us a gift that we never wanted, why not give us what we want and narendra modi seems to be saying, no, now i have gifted, you better accept it. my own expense as a former pollster and someone he had something to do with opinion polling is that over the last two or three months, ever since the agitation unfolded, farmers may not understand the technicalities of law but the broad impression that is seeping down is that narendra modi is up to something big, something bad, for the farmers, at the behest of some corporate people. that cannot possibly contribute to his overall image, although that is not our objective, wejust image, although that is not our objective, we just want to go back home and want to be able to say when the government

listened to us, that is what i am focused on. my focus is not really on how to damage narendra modi in the coming elections. narendra modi in the coming elections-— narendra modi in the coming elections. , ., , , ., , elections. the problem is, as ou elections. the problem is, as you have _ elections. the problem is, as you have just _ elections. the problem is, as you have just outlined - elections. the problem is, as you havejust outlined it, - elections. the problem is, as you havejust outlined it, youj you havejust outlined it, you are saying the farmers have some real leverage in power in the country but the truth this farming is now responsible for only 15% of indian gdp. if one looks at the s&p for the economy next year, even post— pandemic, the predictions are it may grow up to 10%. narendra modi is delivering for millions and millions of indian people. i wonder if you are over estimating the power of the farming movement to change the dynamic? farming movement to change the d namic? , ., i. dynamic? just to give you numbers. _ dynamic? just to give you - numbers, in democracy, while gdp numbers matter, the other numbers that matter is simple numbers. farming employs about 48% of the indian working population and in rural india it employs about 57% of the population, a numberi it employs about 57% of the population, a number i imagine a politician would be concerned

about. whether narendra modi is delivering, now, that is a very big question. the question of 10% growth, that depends on what the previous year was. indian agriculture has held up, not because of mr modi or despite modi, that is a different thing altogether but i really do not think you would get professional economists who would say modi has delivered on the economy. fiifi would say modi has delivered on the economy-— the economy. ok, so, a final thou~ht the economy. ok, so, a final thought so — the economy. ok, so, a final thought so this _ the economy. ok, so, a final thought so this is _ the economy. ok, so, a final thought so this is not - the economy. ok, so, a final thought so this is notjust i thought so this is notjust about economics, it is about the entire modi mission, which involves a commitment to hindi nationalism, i would say, many indians would say, more importantly. you are from a family where your own family were so keen on the secular principle in your country that he actually originally named you salim, even though you were from a hindu family, he wanted you to have a muslim name as a

symbol of the in two unitarian approach. do you think modi is interested in any gesture in the future, almost thinkable in the future, almost thinkable in the future, almost thinkable in the future, the country is profoundly and it seems permanently changing in the modi era?— modi era? that is a larger challenge. _ modi era? that is a larger challenge, the _ modi era? that is a larger challenge, the story - modi era? that is a larger challenge, the story you | challenge, the story you referred to is about my father, who actually watched his own father being butchered by a muslim mob and then he turned around and said, no, i'm not going to hate muslims, i'm going to hate muslims, i'm going to hate muslims, i'm going to name my son, i'm going to give my son a muslim name. that is about my father, not about me, that is about mahatma gandhl about me, that is about mahatma gandhi, the spirit of india. aha, gandhi, the spirit of india. a fascinating story but a story of an india that no longer exists. . , ., exists. that is what people like me worry _ exists. that is what people like me worry about - exists. that is what people like me worry about when l exists. that is what people i like me worry about when we look about the bigger picture. it is the idea of india that has been trampled upon. what we are witnessing is nothing short

of dismantling of the indian republic, brick by brick, and that, for me, is the biggest challenge the country faces. this is where i see people like me playing a role....- me playing a role.... and ifi may say so, the truth is - me playing a role.... and ifi may say so, the truth is that j may say so, the truth is that narendra modi wins elections and your swaraj, very secular party, does not win either regionally or nationally, that is my point. that is the india of today. is my point. that is the india of today-— is my point. that is the india oftoda . ,, ., ., ., , ., of today. swara' india, my own -a of today. swara' india, my own party may — of today. swara' india, my own party may not _ of today. swaraj india, my own party may not be _ of today. swaraj india, my own party may not be the _ of today. swaraj india, my own party may not be the best - party may not be the best measure of the resistance that india can offer, but i am absolutely clear. india is not absolutely clear. india is not a nation of one race, of one religion. india is an idea, the idea of diversity, of democracy, of development for the last person. that idea shares trust. people like me may perish, we may have to pay

some cost but you cannot defend your republic cannot pay a cost. but india, the idea india, is much bigger than its current rulers, or possibly the current rulers, or possibly the current dissenters. irate current rulers, or possibly the current dissenters.— current rulers, or possibly the current dissenters. we have to enter there — current dissenters. we have to enter there but _ current dissenters. we have to enter there but i _ current dissenters. we have to enter there but i do _ current dissenters. we have to enter there but i do thank - current dissenters. we have to enter there but i do thank you | enter there but i do thank you very much indeed forjoining me on hardtalk. —— we have two to end. hello there. we can expect more mild weather through the rest of this week, but with that, there will be more outbreaks of rain. through wednesday, yes, it will be mild but also windy, some outbreaks of rain at times. quite a wet start to the day, actually, thanks to this frontal system

pushing its way eastwards. now, that rain will clear from many areas quite quickly, but you can see this frontjust dangling down towards the south. that means the rain is going to linger across southern counties of england for a good part of the day. in fact, pushing back northwards into parts of south wales, the midlands and east anglia through the afternoon. elsewhere, it's a sunshine and showers day. some particularly heavy showers towards the northwest where it will also be windy. gusts of 70 mph in exposed spots in western scotland. but as you can see, it's quite a blustery day for all parts of the uk. temperatures ranging from 7 celsius there in stornoway to a high of 12 celsius in london. now, as we move through wednesday night, we see more wet weather ploughing its way northwards, particularly heavy bursts of rain across the west. the winds coming up from the south, it's going to be a pretty mild start to thursday morning, but, we will see this rain pushed eastwards as we go through the day — pushed eastwards by a weather front, a cold front, and so behind our rain band, we will start to feel the effects of some slightly colder air.

you can see the rain pushing eastwards quite quickly through the day. sunny spells and showers following on behind. more persistent rain bending back into northwest scotland. but temperatures actually falling away these are the values you can expect at 3 o'clock on thursday afternoon. feeling quite chilly, actually, across the west, but that's only a temporary shift to something cooler, because by friday, the winds will be hurtling back up from the southwest again. with that, we will see some outbreaks of very heavy rain, maybe some flooding in some western areas, but those temperatures beginning to climb upwards. and as we head into the weekend, well, this weather fronts is going to be quite troublesome because it will be wriggling around, bringing pulses of rain. some uncertainty about exactly where the wet weather will end up, but to the southeast of these weather fronts, we will continue to tap into some pretty warm air wafting up from the south. so, temperatures could get as high as 15 or 16 celsius in southern areas, but there will also be some

outbreaks of rain at times.

this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world: president biden says he's tired of talking about trump and wants to focus on the american people. in a televised debate in milwaukee, he says it's time to spend big on a covid rescue package. is it the end of the controversial dutch covid curfew? a court rules the government failed to show why it was needed so urgently. president macron's flagship project to combat extremism across france passes its first hurdle. and a major shock in the tennis as the number one ash party

loses