From the Newsroom: 'Farmers will honour PM but protect their self-respect'

In your evening news brief, From The Newsroom, Farmer leader Naresh Tikait Sunday said that protesting farmers will honour the dignity of prime minister; Reserve Bank is likely to maintain a status quo on benchmark interest rate in its next monetary policy meet outcome and V K Sasikala discharged from hospital following her recovery from Covid-19 infection.

Here is the top news of January 31, 2021:

Farmer leader Naresh Tikait Sunday said that protesting farmers will honour the dignity of prime minister, but are also committed to protecting their self-respect, a day after Narendra Modi said his government was just a "phone call away" for talks with them. "A respectful solution should be reached. We will never agree to anything under pressure," he told PTI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the country was saddened by the "insult" to the Tricolour on Republic Day, referring to the religious flag incident at Red Fort during the farmers' tractor parade. In his monthly 'Mann ki Baat' broadcast, Modi maintained that his government is committed to "modernising" farming and has been taking many steps.

The Reserve Bank is likely to maintain a status quo on benchmark interest rate in its next monetary policy meet outcome to be announced on February 5, four days after the presentation of the Union Budget 2021-22. Experts are of the view that the RBI will refrain from tinkering with the interest rates and keep the monetary stance accommodative at the policy review though it will take guidance from the budget to be unveiled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha on February 1.

V K Sasikala, close confidante of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, was on Sunday discharged from the Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru following her recovery from Covid-19 infection. She made a clear but indirect political statement by travelling in a car bearing the flag of the AIADMK. Sasikala received a rousing reception from her supporters. The close aide of Jayalalithaa is expected to stay in Bengaluru for about a week before returning to Chennai.