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PremiumFarmers protest LIVE updates: The protesting farmers clashed with the police and broke barricades at the Shambhu border connecting Punjab and Haryana in an attempt to cross over to Delhi to pressure the Centre to accept their MSP demand. Police have lobbed tear gas shells and fired water cannons to stop the farmers from entering Delhi. The movement of farmers is blocked using heavy barricades, iron nails, and barbed wires. A huge number of police personnel are deployed at various checkpoints to stop the farmers. Section 144 has imposed in the national capital in view of the farmers' protest. The Haryana government on Tuesday extended the ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts by two days till February 15 in view of the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' agitation. These districts are Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa, the government said in an order.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation to put pressure on the Centre for their demands, including a law on minimum support price for crops and loan waivers.
Stay tuned for farmers' protest LIVE updates.
Mobile internet services, bulk SMS and all dongle services etc provided on mobile networks, except the voice calls in the jurisdiction of districts Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa of Haryana State to remain suspended till 17th February.
Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda and Nityanand Rai arrive at the hotel in Chandigarh for the meeting with farmer leaders.
"This protest seems political, and there are concerns about the spread of violence, just like we witnessed last time at the Red Fort. At that time too, the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh was aware of this fact, and today also the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh is not participating for the same reason, because it is not for noble cause," says PM MSP Committee member, Pramod Chaudhary
Farmers' unions are "hell bent" on stopping the lifeline of northern states and their movement has instilled a "sense of fear" among the people of the state, the Haryana government submitted before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday.
The Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana today extended the suspension of mobile internet services in 7 districts till February 17
After a quiet day, tension has again escalated at Shambhu border. Haryana police have to resort to tear gas to deter protesting farmers.
"I am going to see my ailing mother-in-law in Bawana. I am planning to stay back so that I can be available for help if she needs me. The current situation is not conducive to travelling at night or even otherwise," Sagar Singh, who was coming from Panipat and going towards Bawana, said
“We have called for a ‘Gramin Bharat Bandh’. Farmers should not go to their farms and work tomorrow. A new line of thinking will emerge out of this. Labourers will also go on strike. This will show how many people are participating in the movement," said Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait
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Long Queue of tractor trolley's at Rajpura/Ambala highway near Shambhu border of Punjab-Haryana due to ongoing farmers protest march on Thursday
If this is the (legal guarantee on MSP) the only way country's economic progress and farmers' welfare, we will leave no stone unturned in doing this. But when was the law on MSP guaranteed? The PM never said that...These are hooligan farmers and a few people politically inspired people...People of a particular state are using farmers in this manner against their political rivals...Nothing on legal guarantee for MSP was ever said...We have to make such agri policies that will be valid until 2075 so that financial inequalities go down...MSP is a complex subject, they should come and sit with us. I assure them that if I am unable to answer all their questions, I will resign from the committee...This is a drama and something to distract and break the nation..., " Binod Anand, member, PM MSP panel said
Amid the ongoing farmers' protest, Gurnam Singh Charuni, head of Bharatiya Kisan Union, announced on Thursday that they will not pay toll in Haryana for three hours on Friday, which will be followed by a tractor parade in every Tehsil the next day and a joint meeting of all farmers' and labour organisations on Saturday
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said protesting farmers fighting for the nation, just like soldiers do on borders. He was speaking in Aurangabad, Bihar
Some trains on the Delhi-Amritsar route were diverted on Thursday after farmers squatted on tracks at many places in Punjab over the Haryana Police's action against 'Delhi Chalo' protesters, Reuters reported.
Farmers also staged dharnas at several toll plazas and forced authorities to not charge the commuters a toll fee.
"We are not planning to take any action until the talks with the government are over," a farmer protesting at Punjab-Haryana border told Reuters.
"We are demanding fair crop prices, there's no fixed price so what will the farmer do? We’ll have to sell our land," he said. "Farmers are facing a financial crisis."
Sarvan Singh Pandher, general secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, said the farmers would hold talks with Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Thursday.
"We are going to the meeting in a completely positive mood and with complete faith that some solution will be found," Pandher told ANI
Police put iron nails on Delhi-Gurugram Expressway amid farmers stir
“We are expressing our anger against the atrocities meted out to the farmers who have been stopped at Shambhu Border", farmers protesting at a toll plaza in Patiala said
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar on Thursday criticised the "method" adopted by farmers to press their demands, saying they are trying to march to Delhi like an army on the offensive. He was quoted by PTI as saying that the farmers are moving with tractor-trolleys, earth-movers and ration for a year -- just like an army.
"We have an objection to their method," Khattar said on the farmers' call for going to Delhi. "We do not have any objection to them going to Delhi. There are trains, buses and their own vehicles. But a tractor is not a mode of transport. It is an agricultural equipment."
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar over ongoing farmers' protest said, "Everybody has democratic right, can visit Delhi; but motive behind it has to be kept in mind."
Rail traffic on the Ambala division of the Northern Railway was affected due to the ongoing farmers' protest.
Trains that are cancelled include:
Train number 04753, Bathinda-Shri Ganganagar service, cancelled on February 15.
Train number 04756, Shri Ganganagar-Bathinda service, cancelled on February 15.
Partially cancelled trains include:
Train number 14736, Ambala-Shri Ganganagar service will be cancelled between Bathinda and Shri Ganganagar. It was supposed to depart from Ambala on February 15, will only run up to Bathinda.
Train number 14735, Shri Ganganagar-Ambala service will be cancelled between Shri Ganganagar and Bathinda. It will depart from Bathinda on February 15 and will run up to Ambala .
Trains that got their route altered:
Train number 19612, Amritsar-Ajmer Express, will be operated via a changed route through Tarn Taran Jn.-Beas on February 15.
Farmers protesting in Punjab blocked trains at Rajpura Railway Station by sitting on rail tracks to get their demands heard.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin on Thursday criticised the central government said, “Why this much arrangement of security in Delhi like a warzone? To silence the protest of our nation's farmers Union BJP Government has created a situation worse than a warzone."
He added, "After strong protests from farmers for more than 1 year BJP withdrew three farm laws. But they didn't announce schemes for the welfare of the well-being of farmers. They didn't withdraw the case against farmers. The government is doing atrocities by deploying the Police Force with weapons, roads were filled with barbed wire, jersey barriers and iron nails. Who is the terrorist here...Farmers? Government?"
The member of Parliament for Thiruvananthapuram and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday said, “It's a democratic right of the farmers to protest and come and be heard in the National capital. I don't think the border with China is fortified the way this city is fortified. The government should have learnt a lesson from the previous farmers' agitation- consult the stakeholders. Last time it took a year-long agitation before the government surrendered and withdrew…."
As farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' protest entered the third day on February 15, two key border points between Delhi and Haryana, that are Tikri and Singhu, will remain sealed for traffic. Meanwhile, security personnel in anti-riot gears were deployed at strategic locations in the national capital.
Traffic movement across Ghazipur border with Uttar Pradesh is permitted but continues to be under the watch of security personnel.
BJP charged at the Congress for promising to implement a key recommendation of the Swaminathan Commission report if it is voted to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha Sabha polls.
In a big show of support to farmers' who began 'Delhi Chalo' march on February 13, a BJP leader said, "But in 2010, it (Congress) had rejected Swaminathan Commission recommendations for remunerative prices."
Minister of State for Agriculture K V Thomas in response said, "The National Commission on Farmers under the chairmanship of Prof MS Swaminathan has recommended that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) should be at least 50% more than the weighted average cost of production."
K V Thomas added, "This recommendation, however, has not been accepted by the government because MSP is recommended by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) based on objective criteria and considering a variety of relevant factors."
K V Thomas further pointed out that prescribing an increase of at least 50% on cost may distort the market. He said, "A mechanical linkage between MSP and cost of production may be counter-productive in some cases."
Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai Singh will hold talks with protesting farmer leaders today. Earlier a meeting viavideo conferencing was scheduled for February 14 but was postponed to February 15. Today, farmer groups and the ministerial delegation will hold a physical meeting in Chandigarh in the evening.
Singh who is a farmer leader from Uttar Pradesh and former agriculture minister was called in to explore a resolution. According to sources, Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda met Singh at the latter's residence and discussed the ongoing farmers' protests and the ways to address the issues raised by them.
Commuters travelling to and from Delhi were faced with massive traffic disruptions due to ongoing farmers' protests around border areas as can be seen in the aerial view from GT Karnal Road.
Rahul Gandhi in a post on social media platform X stated, “Modi ji, before 'new guarantees', calculate the ‘old guarantees’."
At Singhu border, security personnel deployed a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) that is an extremely high-frequency sound system to help in dispersal of crowd, according to sources.
Traffic restrictions at the Tikri and Singhu border points amid 'Delhi Chalo' march disrupted traffic movement. These restrictions have also taken a toll on businesses in border areas and have even affected students who are due to give their CBSE board exams today.
Manager of Singhu's ‘Cost to Cost’ shopping complex, Nikesh said, "Our staff cannot reach work. We are closed for the past two days and this is resulting in a loss of ₹40,000 to ₹50,000 a day."
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) raised a 'Bharat Bandh' call for February 16 in support of the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march.
With board exams beginning from today, the CBSE in an advisory said, “As the examination starts at 10.30 am, hence, all the students have been directed to reach their examination centres at or before 10 am."
Over 5.8 lakh students will take the exams at 877 centres in Delhi from February 15.
Police used multiple rounds of teargas shells to disperse farmers approaching the police barricade at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border to resume the 'Dilli Chalo' march February 14.
Delhi traffic police issued an advisory that gives diversions and alternate routes to commuters as ‘Singhu border on NH-44 is inaccessible for traffic.’
Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said that farmers want to resolve all issues peacefully.
"Even in this position, we are thinking that we will not leave the way of talks. If the Centre comes up with a solution, then we are ready. We don't want any kind of conflict. We want to resolve all issues through dialogue. The meeting with the Centre will be held at 5 pm tomorrow. We are saying again, that tomorrow also we will sit peacefully,"
"We will not compromise on anything less than what we have demanded," Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the convener of BKU (Sidhupur) said ahead of the talks with the government.
Delhi Police has issued a traffic advisory for the Singhu border in view of the farmers' protest that has been raging for the past few days, disrupting traffic at the Delhi borders. In its advisory, Delhi Police has warned that the Singhu border, which connects Delhi and Haryana, is "inaccessible" for traffic since hundreds of farmers have huddled there blocking the road. The traffic advisory includes alternative routes for commuters to consider.
The Delhi Police traffic advisory advises interstate buses and HGV commercial trucks for Haryana/Punjab/Himachal etc., to take "diversion on the Outer Ring Road at Majnu Ka Tilla to proceed towards Signature Bridge to Khajuri Chowk Via Loni Border towards Eastern Peripheral Road." Read More
A meeting has been scheduled for Thursday evening between the leaders of agitating farmers and union ministers, according to Punjab government officials who attended a meeting between three farmer leaders and intelligence officers on Wednesday.
Intelligence officials in Punjab met the three farmer leaders at a hotel in Rajpura, near the Shambhu blockade, with a message from the union government and said two of them – Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher – agreed to meet the union ministers in Chandigarh on Thursday. On Wednesday evening, Punjab government officials facilitated a virtual meeting between the farmer leaders and the union government. Read More
" We want people who can catch the protesters. The arresting party should have that in mind" a senior police officer at Tikri border said.
He later told the women police personnel
"I see you keep handbags with you at all times. You also have anti-riot gear. How will you carry anti-riot gear and “act"? I don't want to see any handbags from tomorrow...We have noted that many of you have anti-riot kits which aren't functional. Please report this to your in-charge and get it fixed..."
Ambala Deputy Commissioner Shaleen refuted the reported incident of farmers allegedly downing a drone into the Ghaggar River using kites. Instead, he urged the Patiala administration to address the issue of farmers engaging in kite-flying activities with prohibited Chinese strings.
“Patiala DC (Showkat Ahmad Parray) was called for a meeting here. In the meeting, he informed us that he had written a letter to Ambala DC and had raised objections to using Punjab’s territory for flying drones. Patiala DC has also assured us that currently, his priority is to normalise situations and restore peace along the borders. Further discussion on the matter of tear gas shelling will be held later," the farmer leaders said.
"The meeting with Centre will be held at 5pm tomorrow," says Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher at Rajpura bypass in Punjab.
"The way in which the protest is being conducted, the amount of money that is being spent, vehicles worth crores are coming there, tractors are being modified, so you can easily understand who is backing them," says Rajasthan Minister Kharra.
1. The board has instructed students to reach the examination hall at 10:00 AM and warned that entry will not be allowed after that. “Only those students will be allowed to enter the examination center by 10:00 am. After this no student will be allowed," it said.
2. CBSE has advised the students to use the Delhi Metro for commuting to the examination halls as the metro services are running without disruptions.
3. The board has requested that students from other parts of the country and the world plan their journeys to examination halls keeping in mind the local conditions, traffic, weather conditions, distance from the examination hall, etc.
4. The schools are requested by CBSE to help the candidates and guide them properly on the examination day.
5. CBSE has asked that students make all the arrangements in advance so that they don't face unnecessary hassles at the last minute.
The Shiromani Akali Dal has announced a meeting for the party's central committee, the highest authority in decision-making. This choice follows demonstrations by agricultural organizations executing the 'Delhi Chalo' march, currently halted at the Shambu and Khanouri borders. In a show of support for the farmers' protest, the party has indefinitely deferred their 'Punjab Bachao Yatra.'
As a result of the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' protest initiative, Section 144 has been enforced in 15 districts of Haryana. Additionally, 64 paramilitary force companies and 50 state police companies have been mobilized in response to the situation.
"...We've never heard of drones being used to fire tear gas shells on the farmers and all sorts of barricades that have been erected... They are trying to stop the march of the farmers to Delhi...Respecting the farmers and respecting the people who feed all of us, is required of this government. We want an immediate end to this repression and meaningful talks have to be conducted. On 16th Feb, there is going to be a big nationwide action program, including some sectoral industrial strikes along with the trade unions. This is something that the Modi govt cannot ignore. It has to immediately concede..." Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury said.
Farmers are attending a virtual meeting with central ministers since 6 pm. The farmers will convened at the Haryana Raj Bhawan for the discussion.
