Chandigarh/New Delhi: Three Union ministers began their third round of talks with the leaders of protesting farmer unions in Chandigarh Thursday evening, amid a standoff between the protesters and security personnel at two points on the Punjab-Haryana border. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also joined the meeting at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Sector 26.
Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai are representing the central government in the meeting over farmer unions' various demands, including a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. This will be the third round of talks between the two sides -- the previous two rounds of dialogue on February 8 and 12 remained inconclusive.
Among the farmer leaders taking part in the meeting are SKM (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have given the 'Delhi Chalo' call to press the Centre to accept their demands.
Here are the latest updates
- 10.35 PM
As the "Delhi Chalo" agitation of farmers entered the third day on Thursday, two key border points between Delhi and Haryana remained closed for traffic, while security personnel in anti-riot gear conducted drills and mock exercises to ensure their fool-proof preparation. The Delhi Police has ordered more than 30,000 teargas shells from the Border Security Force's (BSF) Tear Smoke unit, officials said. Police and paramilitary personnel kept a tight vigil on the activities at the borders of the national capital. - 9.43 PM
Bharat Bandh on Friday: Noida police issues traffic advisory, imposes restrictions - The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police on Thursday said restrictions under CrPC section 144, including a ban on unauthorised public assemblies, would be enforced across the district on February 16. The decision has been taken in view of proposed protest marches called by the farmers' body Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and other unions. The Bharatiya Kisan Union, part of SKM, had earlier called for a 'Bharat Bandh' on February 16, citing a host of unmet demands of farmers. "Various programs like protest demonstrations, etc are proposed by SKM and various organisations for Friday. Hence, Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) is implemented on February 16," the police said in a statement. - 9.30 PM
Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shobha Karandlaje on Thursday characterised the ongoing farmers' protest in Delhi as politically motivated.Addressing reporters in Udupi, she said the M S Swaminathan committee had given 207 recommendations in its report, which was kept in "deep cold storage" by the UPA government. She claimed that all the recommendations were addressed by the Narendra Modi government alone, and minimum support price (MSP) was one among them. - 9.03 PM
Three Union ministers began their third round of talks with farmer leaders in Chandigarh Thursday evening, amid a standoff between the protesters and security personnel at two points on Punjab-Haryana border. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also joined the meeting. Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai are representing the central government in the meeting over farmer unions' demands, including a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. The meeting is being held at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Sector 26. - 8.57 PM
The People's Union for Civil Liberties on Thursday condemned the government's measures against the protesting farmers, saying they have a right to resume their agitation after the Centre reneged on its promises it made in 2020-21. In a statement, the PUCL said the 2020-21 protest saw participation of thousands of farmers and workers unions, even in adverse weather conditions, which resulted in the death of more than 700 farmers. "The Modi-government has failed to comply with the public assurances given to the farmers based on which they had called off the struggle in 2021," it said. - 8.44 PM
The Haryana government on Thursday extended the ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts by two days till February 17 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. On February 13, the state government had extended the suspension of these services for two days. - 8.40 PM
Three Union ministers have arrived at a venue in Chandigarh to begin talks with leaders of protesting farmers. As many as 14 farm leaders will meet Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda. - 8.38 PM
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 submission was filed in an affidavit before a division bench of Acting Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Vikas Suri. The court had on Tuesday, while hearing a petition pertaining to the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march, issued notices to the Centre, and the states of Haryana and Punjab, to file status reports. The Punjab government, in a separate affidavit, submitted that till Thursday evening, there had gathered around 12,000-13,000 people, along with about 1,120 tractors and 1,320 trolleys at Shambhu border, and about 4,000-5,000 farmers, along with 450 tractors and 470 trolleys, at Khanauri border. - 8.35 PM
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said, "We have spoken about 'Gramin Bharat Bandh' - that farmers do not go to their farms tomorrow. This will send a big message tomorrow. "This agitation has a new ideology, a new method. Highways will not be shut. But meetings will continue at our meeting points and we will take decisions there. Monthly panchayat will take place in Sisauli on February 17. We do have the demand on MSP but a strategy will have to be built on incidents that are taking place in Punjab and Haryana. We hope for this. We have told not to gather as a crowd for it.. As far as the Bandh is concerned, we have urged people to participate voluntarily," Tikait was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. - 6.26 PM
At least seven trains were cancelled and nearly 20 train services effected in Punjab-Haryana routes as some farmers groups squatted on rail tracks at several locations as part of a 'rail roko' (rail blockade) protest. The rail roko protest which was held from 12 noon to 4 pm against the use of tear gas shells and water cannons by security personnel during their agitation at Shambhu and Khanauri borders, as per the farmers. - 6.08 PM
Amid the ongoing farmers' protest, Gurnam Singh Charuni, head of Bharatiya Kisan Union, announced on that the farmers 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. - 6.07 PM
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Thursday attacked the BJP-led Centre for allegedly not fulfilling its promises to farmers, including providing a legal guarantee for MSP, and for using force to stop protesting farmers from marching to Delhi to put forth their demands. Addressing a press conference in Hyderabad, Singh also criticised the Narendra Modi government for nominating Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal to hold talks with the protesting farmer leaders, asking what he had to do with farmers and agriculture. - 5.22 PM
Binod Anand, Member, PM MSP Committee said, "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 Prime Minister 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 agricultural 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," Anand was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. - 4.47 PM
Despite heightened security measures at the Tikri border in view of the farmers' protest, board exams were held hassle-free and no delay was reported in the conduct of examination. Vehicles were arranged by the police and paramilitary officials to help students reach their respective centres near the Tikri border. According to a senior Delhi Police official, there are two schools close to the Tikri border metro station and as the students were walking towards their examination centres, Delhi Police arranged vehicles for them so that they can reach on time. - 4.31 PM
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday asked the Central and State governments to to file their affidavits based on their meetings with the farmers which is scheduled to to be held today in Chandigarh. - 3.34 PM
Agricultural economist Ashok Gulati says, "Productivity has to increase- we need to provide better seeds, good irrigation facilities and there should be a market. "If government has the budget it can give farmers more money. Given the current circumstances, some package can be given to farmers but productivity has to be increased and investment needs to be done in agri R&D, build infrastructure in rural areas and open up the market," Gulati was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. - 3.27 PM
Criticising BJP-led central government's handling of farmers' protest, People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration on Thursday extended support to the Gramin Bharat Bandh' called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) on February 16. PAGD, an amalgam of five political parties -- National Conference, People's Democratic Party, CPI(M), CPM and Awami National Conference (ANC) -- was formed in 2019 for restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. - 3.19 PM
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee lashed out the Narendra Modi government saying farmers are protesting, the country is burning but BJP is not bothered. "Administration of Ravan has crossed all Lakshman Rekhas," Mamata Banerjee said on BJP government's action against farmers. - 3.16 PM
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday requested his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Mohan Yadav to get the farmers from the state, who were detained in Bhopal while travelling to the national capital to participate in a protest, released. A group of farmers from Karnataka travelling from Bengaluru to Delhi to participate in a protest against the "anti-farmer policies" of the Central government have been detained in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal without any reason, he said in a letter to Yadav. It has been four days since the farmers have been detained and they have not been released yet, Siddaramaiah said. - 3.07 PM
Two key border points between Delhi and Haryana remain closed for traffic while security personnel in anti-riot gears were deployed at strategic locations in the national capital. - 1.15 PM
On farmers' protest, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar says ".Raising demands and going to Delhi is everyone's right but the motive has to be seen. We have seen all of this last year, how a scene was created and they occupied various borders which created problems for everyone...We have an objection to the way they are protesting...Tractor is not a mode of transport, they can come on buses or trains. Discussions should be done democratically so that a solution can be reached." - 12.19 PM
Due to the ongoing farmers' protest, rail traffic on the Ambala division of the Northern Railway has been affected, an official said. - 12.05 AM
Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Thursday accused the Centre of ignoring the Swaminathan Commission's report.He said that conferring the Bharat Ratna to the agricultural scientist was not enough, and the government should respect the people who feed the nation. - 11.38 AM
The General Secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Sarwan Singh Pandher on Thursday alleged that police were using weapons used by the military against the agitating farmers. - 11.20 AM
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin on Thursday criticised the central government regarding the high-level security arrangements in Delhi to resist the Punjab farmers' protest. - 10.25 AM
The Delhi Police has placed orders for more than 30,000 tear gas shells, an official said, as the force prepares to prevent Punjab farmers from entering the national capital under their 'Dilli Chalo' protest. A Delhi Police source said they are determined to not let the protesters enter the national capital should they advance. - 10.05 AM
From "doubling the farmer's income" to "bring back black money", Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a fresh attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the PM of failing to provide 2 crore jobs to the youths in the country every year. - 9.45 AM
The General Secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Sarwan Singh Pandher on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold talks with the farmers and find a solution for their demands. "We have said it earlier also. It is not a question of going ahead, we are not saying that we will break your barricade, there are two things, today there is a meeting with the Union Ministers, and we would like the Prime Minister himself to talk to them and these demands should be resolved today. This will be pleasant for everyone," Pandher said while addressing a press conference at Shambhu border on Thursday. - 8.35 AM
BJP leader Dilip Ghosh on Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait’s announcement of ‘Bharat Bandh’ on February 16 said, "PM Modi is continuously working towards helping the farmers and improving their situations. Fertilizer prices have been reduced, and ‘Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)’ has been launched. Farmers are happy all over the country. They (referring to Tikait) are doing this only to show off their leadership.” - 7.49 AM
General Secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Sarvan Singh Pandher says, "We have a meeting with the ministers today, and we want PM Modi to have a conversation with them so that we can reach a solution for our demands. Or else, we should be allowed to protest peacefully in Delhi." - 7.15 AM
A few young farmers, part of the 'Delhi Chalo' march, on Wednesday took to flying kites hoping to bring down a drone deployed by the Haryana security personnel to drop tear gas shells on protesters at the Shambhu border near Ambala. The protesters were angry over the use of the unmanned aerial vehicle for dropping tear gas canisters, which left many of them injured. - 6.45 AM
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday said he doesn't think the China border is fortified the way the national capital is, adding that it's a democratic right of the farmers to protest and to be heard in the national capital. 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, Tharoor added. - 6.15 AM
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday lashed out at the centre over the farmer issue saying that there is a need to understand chronology now. He also said that the Congress party is with the protesting farmers. - 6.00 AM
CBSE issues advisory for students appearing in board exams in view of traffic restrictions in Delhi.
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