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PremiumFarmers Delhi Chalo Protest updates: The “Delhi Chalo" protest, initiated by farmers, commenced on Tuesday from Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib.
Massive security arrangements have been implemented on the borders of the national capital. To maintain law and order, the Delhi police have enacted Section 144, which prohibits the entry of tractor-trolleys and large assemblies. Visuals from various borders such as Gazipur, Shambhu, and Tikri depict the presence of barricades and barbed wires obstructing road access.
Farmers from various parts of India began their Delhi Chalo protest on Tuesday amid comprehensive preparations by police in Haryana and Delhi, which have orders to stop them from entering the national capital.
The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) is leading the second leg of the farmer's protest demanding guaranteed minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.
The leaders have claimed that farmers from more than 200 organizations will join the Delhi Chalo march and will assemble in the national capital. They have claimed that the farmers come from all parts of India, but as per reports, more than 90% of the farmers are expected to be from Haryana and Delhi.
The administrations in Delhi and Haryana are making elaborate provisions to control the movement of farmers' protests.
Section 144 is imposed at various places including the Delhi border and police have warned the farmer groups of strict legal action, if they attempt to enter the national capital.
The police have erected strong barricades and fencing at several places and are even testing their tear-gas shells to remain prepared for any untoward incident.
Check all the Farmers Delhi Chalo Protest updates here on LiveMint.
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Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said on Tuesday that the bench will accommodate lawyers if they are facing problems due to road congestion as Delhi faced traffic jams due to farmers' protests. The assurance from a bench led by CJI Chandrachud came in the morning when the bench assembled to hear the proceedings. The court said that if any lawyer faces a problem with traffic issues, the bench will accomodate.
“How can our country progress when the farmers are attacked with tear gas shells for fighting for their basic rights? I strongly condemn the brutal assault on our farmers by the BJP. Instead of suppressing their protest, BJP must focus on humbling their inflated egos, power-hungry ambitions, and inadequate governance that has harmed our nation," Banerjee said in a post on X.
“...Around 10,000 people are here at the Shambhu border. The farmers are maintaining a peaceful situation here and tear gas is being used against us through drones. (Protest) will continue until the government agrees to our demands," said Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher.
Haryana police detained several protesting farmers as they marched towards Delhi on Tuesday. The protesting farmers were seen attempting to break the multi-layered barricades using their tractors and hand weapons. Visuals from the border showed farmers running towards nearby farmland on the sides of the road as police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protestors. Concrete slabs, iron nails, barricades, barbed wires, police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed by the police at several parts of the border.
According to an update shared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation some gates have been closed at nine metro stations. However all the metro stations remain operational at this time.
A few gates may be closed in following stations as per security instructions:
1. Central Secretariat
2. Rajiv Chowk
3. Udyog Bhawan
4. Patel Chowk
5. Mandi House
6. Barakhamba Road
7. Janpath
8. Khan Market
9. Lok Kalyan Marg
“It is Modi government's failure. They should have fulfilled farmers' demand for a legal guarantee for MSP...Another demand is implementation of the Swaminathan Committee formula...Why is the government wasting time?...You are stopping them as if the military from a neighbouring country is coming in...Their demands should be immediately accepted by the Prime Minister of the country. Elections are approaching, he will get the benefit," he said.
The Haryana Police lobbed multiple rounds of teargas shells — including through drones — at the Shambhu border near Ambala on Tuesday to disperse the protesting farmers. The police first used teargas when farmers tried to break barricades set up at the Shambhu border and throw it off the Ghaggar river bridge. Some of the farmers also tried to remove the cement barricades with the help of tractors.
A group of Tamil Nadu farmers in Trichy lend support to 'Delhi Chalo' farmers' protest
Farmer leader P Ayyakannu says, “As per the Constitution, we can move freely within the country for our rights but the police are not allowing farmers to protest in Delhi...If PM Modi contests from any constituency in TN in the coming elections, then farmers will file nomination against him from that constituency." (ANI)
A few gates may be closed in the following stations as per security instructions. However, stations are operational-Central Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk, Udyog Bhawan, Patel Chowk, Mandi House, Barakhamba Road, Janpath, Khan Market and Lok Kalyan Marg: DMRC
Delhi's Red Fort closed for visitors, says a senior ASI official as security beefed up in view of farmers' protest, PTI reported.
Jaipur, Rajasthan: On farmers' march, state Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena says, "The agitation is being done when the elections are close. This means the Opposition parties are involved. This march is not being done for the farmers but to provide benefits to political parties..."
Bharatiya Kisan Union president Naresh Tikait on Tuesday wondered whether the farmers will always be in the agitation mode, block roads or head towards Delhi?
On the proposed February 16 bandh call given by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and various organisations, Tikait said school vans, vehicles carrying patients and military vehicles will be allowed to go. The problems should be resolved through talks, he added.
Asked to elaborate on the demands of the farmers, Tikait told PTI Video in Muzaffarnagar, "The demands are different from different states. Will the farmer always be undertaking agitation, block roads or head towards Delhi? (PTI)
As farmers' ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest march gets underway, Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring says, “We have launched a helpline number to provide free legal aid to farmers." (ANI)
On the farmers' march, Congress leader Pawan Khera says, “... During the talks, 'X' handles of farmer leaders are being closed, what kind of assurance and meeting is this?.. In two years, you (central govt) did not understand what the farmers needed?" (PTI)
On farmers' protest, Haryana Congress MP Deepender S Hooda says, “The government should talk to the farmers on their demands including a law on MSP." (ANI)
On security arrangements for farmers' protest, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Additional CP Northern Range, Delhi Police says, “A sufficient number of police & CAPF personnel deployed on all Delhi borders. During such large-scale protests, we request the administration to designate any large area as a temporary holding area or temporary detention centre. For this protest, we've requested the administration to designate any large area as a temporary holding area to keep detained protestors." (ANI)
Security was beefed up at Noida's borders with Delhi and checking of vehicles increased on Tuesday in view of a farmers' protest march to the national capital, impacting the traffic movement in the region.
The farmers propose to march to Delhi to press for their demands, including implementation of a law to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for crops. The protesting farmers' groups are largely from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.
In Uttar Pradesh, Delhi shares its borders with Noida and Ghaziabad, which have often been the centres of sit-in by protestors from the state who are not allowed entry into the capital. (PTI)
Police use tear gas drones at the Haryana-Punjab Shambhu border to disperse protesting farmers. (ANI)
Heavy vehicular traffic from Noida towards Delhi on the Delhi-Noida-Delhi (DND) road, as Delhi borders are heavily guarded and barricaded to prevent protesting farmers from entering the national capital
The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory ahead of a proposed farmer's protest on February 13. Prohibitory orders were imposed in several areas over the weekend and thousands of police personnel have been deployed along Delhi's borders with neighbouring states.
Authorities have also fortified the perimeters with concrete blocks, road spike barriers and barbed wires ahead of the Delhi Chalo agitation.
According to an official communique traffic restrictions or diversions will be imposed at the Singhu border with Haryana from Monday onwards. Commuters going from Delhi to UP via the Gazipur border have also been asked to take alternative routes.
The traffic police advisory highlighted several alternative routes that can be used by different vehicle categories over the next few days. Barricades have already been put up in some areas and police checking has intensified along the Ghazipur border. Read here.
Concrete slabs, iron nails, barricades, barbed wires, police and paramilitary personnel deployed at Kurukshetra in Haryana as Punjab farmers are on their way to Delhi.
Farmers' Delhi Chalo march: Several farmers detained at Shambhu border.
Commuters face harrowing time due to traffic restrictions imposed in Delhi-NCR in view of farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march.
"Due to traffic restrictions caused by farmers' protest, my business has been affected. We are unable to visit our work site and thus, the workers are unable to work," a shop owner said.
In view of the farmers' march to the national capital, one or more gates at eight stations of the Delhi Metro were shut on Tuesday morning.
However, these stations are not closed and entry and exit of passengers is permitted through other gates.
Official sources said the gates have been shut for security arrangements on instructions of police authorities.
Many gates have been shut at several stations -- Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk, Udyog Bhawan, Janpath and Barakhamba Road, a senior official said. (PTI)
Delhi police personnel deployed at Delhi-UP Apsara border as a measure to stop protesting farmers from entering the national capital.
On the farmers' march, Union Minister Arjun Munda said “We care about the interests of the farmers. It is not our concern if someone is doing politics over this issue. We have always been ready for talks and discussions and we are ready to do everything possible to find a solution to this issue. This issue also concerns the state governments. We need time to understand this issue and find a method to solve this..." (ANI)
Delhi Eastern Range's Additional CP Sagar Singh Kalsi told ANI, “We have made very strict arrangements regarding the 'Delhi Chalo' march called by farmer organisations...Our aim is to stop the farmers peacefully and the common people do not face any inconvenience due to traffic…We are trying our best to deal with this situation peacefully." (ANI)
Dismissing the rumours that the Congress party are supporting the farmers in their protest, Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday said that the grand old party is equally responsible as much as the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Pandher said that these laws were brought by Congress and the farmers are not in favour of anyone.
While addressing a press conference before heading towards the national capital as a part of the 'Delhi Chalo' protest by farmers, Pandher said, “Congress party does not support us, we consider Congress equally responsible as much as the BJP. These laws were brought by Congress itself. We are not in favour of anyone, we raise the voice of farmers." (ANI)
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday decried the heavy barricading along the borders of Punjab and Haryana in view of the 'Delhi Chalo' march, saying the state borders have been turned into "international borders".
Concrete walls have been erected at the Punjab and Haryana borders, he said.
"We grow foodgrains and we feed the country and they have grown a crop of nails" for us," Pandher said while referring to the elaborate arrangements made by the Haryana authorities to prevent farmers from moving towards the national capital. (PTI)
Delhi Government rejects the central government's proposal to convert Bawana Stadium into a jail in view of the farmers' march to Delhi today.
On the Centre's proposal, Delhi Government Home Minister Kailash Gehlot says "The demands of the farmers are genuine. It is the constitutional right of every citizen to make a peaceful protest. It is therefore incorrect to arrest the farmers..." (ANI)
Security heightened at Tikri Border in view of the march declared by farmers towards the national capital today.
Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday said that all efforts were made in the meeting to find a solution to avoid a confrontation with the government adding that they anticipated a positive result.
"We want to present our views before the whole of India that we tried our best in yesterday's meeting to take some kind of decision so that we can avoid confrontation with the government and we get something that we had hoped for. We can only hope and trust. After doing this, we sat in the meeting for 5 hours," Pandher said while addressing media in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib. (ANI)
Bahadurgarh, Haryana: DSP Jhajjar, Shamsher Bahadur says, "Police have made preparations at Tikri border. CCTV cameras and mics have been put...Sufficient security is there...Action will be decided according to the situation..." (ANI)
“All arrangements have been made. Routes have been diverted and an advisory has been issued," says DSP (Jhajjar) Shamsher Singh. (PTI)
Farmers begin their 'Delhi Chalo' march from the Shambhu Border.
Supreme Court Bar Association writes to CJI DY Chandrachud seeking suo motu action against “erring farmers" and also a direction for no adverse orders if lawyers fail to appear due to farmers' protest.
The letter read, “I am compelled to write this letter to bring to your kind notice that inspite of the best efforts of the Government of India to protect the interest of the farmers, some farmers are en route to Delhi from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab and are gearing up for a large-scale protest in the national capital on February 13."
It added, “Earlier, in 2021 & 2022, three Delhi borders with the neighbouring States remained blocked for several months due to a similar protest, causing hardship to the general public."
“It is also a matter of record that many persons died while trying to come to Delhi for better medical treatment but who could not reach Delhi hospitals in time due to road blockades," it further added.
We are not saying we will block roads; govt itself blocked roads: Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on 'Delhi Chalo' march. (PTI)
Farmers prepare food in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib as they march towards Delhi
Farmers begin their 'Delhi Chalo' march from Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab.
Vehicular movement was disrupted at the Delhi-Gurugram border ahead of the farmers' ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest on Tuesday. This came amid comprehensive preparations by police in Haryana and Delhi, which have orders to stop them from entering the national capital.
Videos shared by news agencies showed that vehicles were stuck in traffic jams at the Delhi-Gurugram border due to the restrictions on vehicular movement along the borders including Singhu, Shambhu, and Ghazipur. Read here.
Entry and exit from Gate no. 1, 3 and 4 of Udyog Bhawan Metro Station closed for ‘security reasons’.
