Farmers protest: Government to hold third round of talks with farmers' organisation today

Home Minister of Haryana Anil Vij today took exception to Punjab authorities' objection to the deployment of drone for dropping tear gas shells to disperse protesters inside its territory at the Shambhu border, saying whether it has become "an India-Pakistan border." Vij's reaction came after the Punjab authorities raised an objection with the Haryana authorities for the use of the drone for dropping tear gas shells inside the Punjab territory at the Shambhu border. Punjab's Patiala Deputy Commissioner has written to the Ambala Deputy Commissioner, asking him not to send drone inside Punjab's territory. Haryana security personnel deployed a drone on Tuesday for dropping tear gas shells to disperse farmers who were trying to break through barricades in an attempt to march towards Delhi with various demands.

Delhi's business affected by farmers' movement is witnessing 75 per cent reduction in customers coming from NCR regions, according to a statement by the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI). The CTI said that every day around three lakh people come from NCR for shopping. Due to farmers' movement, less than one lakh people are coming. According to Brijesh Goyal, chairman of CTI and president Subhash Khandelwal, the leading organisation of traders, the number of customers in Delhi markets has declined by 75 per cent, with more than 15,000 commercial vehicles have been stopped from entering the city and more than 25,000 commercial vehicles stuck in Delhi.

With board exams beginning from tomorrow, students in Delhi on Wednesday were advised to leave for their centres early as traffic movement has been hit in several areas, particularly in the city's border areas, due to restrictions in view of the farmers' protest. For now, the 'Delhi Chalo' agitation by farmers from Punjab has been contained at the state's border with Haryana. Farmer leaders have said a meeting will be held with three Union ministers in Chandigarh on Thursday and they will decide the next course of action after it. Cross-border traffic between Delhi and Haryana was also affected as police have put in place multiple layers of barricades, barbed wires and concrete blocks at Tikri and Singhu to stop farmers from entering the capital. This is the second day of the agitation by farmers to press the Centre to accept their demands, including legal guarantee of minimum support price for their crops and loan waiver. The CBSE in an advisory said that "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". More than 5.8 lakh students will take the exams at 877 centres in Delhi from Thursday.

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd today said the ongoing farmers' protest demanding a guaranteed Minimum Support Prices (MSP), among others, is unlikely to have any "significant impact" on tractor sales volumes. The company said the tractor industry is expected to see a 5 per cent volume decline this fiscal. Earlier in the day, Mahindra & Mahindra reported a 34 per cent increase in consolidated Profit After Tax (PAT) to Rs 2,658 crore for the third quarter of this fiscal, driven by robust sales across verticals.

Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday said a 'mahapanchayat' will be organised on Saturday at Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh to discuss the "atrocities" being committed on the protesting farmers in the country. Farmers and activists of BKU from UP, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Haryana have been exhorted to attend the congregation to be held at the 'Kisan Bhawan' in Sisauli. "All farmers, office bearers and workers of Bharatiya Kisan Union are being informed that as per the decision of the national working committee, a monthly panchayat will be organised on February 17, 2024 at Kisan Bhawan, Sisauli in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, in which the current situation of the country will be discussed. There will be a discussion regarding the atrocities being committed on farmers," Tikait posted on Facebook in Hindi. "Senior officials of Bharatiya Kisan Union of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, and Haryana will be present in this monthly panchayat," the BKU spokesperson added.

The central government has "betrayed" farmers by not implementing the Swaminathan Commission recommendations, the Congress alleged on Wednesday and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise to the country for it. In its 2006 report, National Commission on Farmers' chairman M S Swaminathan suggested the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) to fix MSP at least 50 per cent more than the weighted average cost of production (C2 plus 50 per cent) The opposition party said its promise to give a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) is the only way to implement the Swaminathan Commission report and claimed that the prime minister is "opposing" what he had recommended when he was the Gujarat chief minister.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday asked why the Centre cannot give farmers a legal guarantee on minimum support price when it is presenting Bharat Ratna to MS Swaminathan and Chaudhary Charan Singh, two personalities who championed the cause of agriculture. Speaking to reporters during his visit to this district for a function, Yadav hit out at the BJP-led Centre for not fulfilling the demands of the farmers protesting in Punjab and Haryana to press their demands. The former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh said the BJP government at the Centre has promised to make India a five-trillion economy, but this will happen only when the farmers of the country are happy.

• Interstate Buses and HGV Commercial Trucks for Haryana/Punjab/Himachal etc., are to take DIVERSION on Outer Ring Road at Majnu Ka Tilla to proceed towards Signature Bridge to Khajuri Chowk Via Loni Border towards Eastern Peripheral Road
• Trucks originating from Azadpur Mandi bound for Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar are to take Diversion from Azadpur Mandi, take service road towards Outer Ring Road, Haiderpur Water Plant and take U-turn for Rohini Jail Road Sector-18 to Badli Metro Station to Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar
• Only DTC Buses and Cars/four-wheelers allowed from Mukarba Chowk towards NH-44 to take EXIT No. 2 on NH-44 at DSIIDC Cut to go towards Narela and Safiabad Border.
• Commuters are advised to follow the above routes to avoid inconvenience

"The meeting will be held with Union ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal and Nityanand Rai. It will take place on Thursday evening in Chandigarh", said Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal. 

On farmers' protest, AAP MP Sandeep Pathak said, "Farmers' protest is very unfortunate. First, the BJP accepted the demands of these farmers and then forgot to fulfil them... Farmers are demanding what should rightfully be theirs. Farmers of the country stand in support of the protesting farmers. We stand with the farmers."

The government will hold the third round of talks with farmers organisation on Thursday. Apart from Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Nityanand Rai will also be present at the meeting. 

Haryana security personnel lobbed tear gas shells on farmers from Punjab at Shambhu border between the two states as thousands of protesters stayed put there on Wednesday, the second day of their 'Delhi Chalo' march. The police action came whenever any group of the protesting farmers tried to move towards the barricades. Some farmers also pelted stones at the security personnel who were positioned close to the barricades. The police have deployed a drone to keep an eye on the protesting farmers who are demanding a legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP). A few youths even flew kites at the Singhu border in order to bring the drone down by entangling the unmanned aerial vehicle in the kite strings. One of the youths, who was flying the kite, expressed anger over the use of drones to drop tear gas shells on the protesters.

On farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury said, "We have 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 February 16, 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."

Union ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal, Nityanand Rai to hold meeting with leaders of farmer groups' on Wednesday evening at around 7 pm, said Sources. The meeting will be held through video conferencing, the sources said. Earlier, the three ministers had two rounds of meeting in Chandigarh with the farmer groups' leaders but the discussions remained inconclusive and the farmers began their protests on Tuesday. A key demand of the farmers is guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP) for various crops.

With school board exams slated to begin from Thursday, residents of areas near Delhi's Tikri and Singhu borders are worried about how children will reach exam centres amid traffic and security restrictions in view of the farmers' protest. Adding to their woes, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has called a 'Bharat Bandh' on Friday in support of the 'Delhi Chalo' agitation- a march by farmers of Punjab to the national capital to press the Centre to accept their demands, including the enactment of a law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

The Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) announced that farmers would squat on rail tracks at seven places in Punjab on Thursday in protest against the Haryana Police action against protesting farmers at the borders. BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said their agitation will be held from 12 noon to 4 pm. The decision was taken in protest against the use of tear gas shells and water cannons against protesting farmers by the Haryana security personnel at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders, he said. 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. However, the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), which is a member of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, is not part of the 'Delhi Chalo' call. Ugrahan said they were also against preventing farmers from heading towards Delhi as part of their 'Delhi Chalo' call by sealing the borders. On Tuesday, farmers had clashed with Haryana Police at two border points between the two states, facing tear gas and water cannons as they tried to break the barricades blocking their protest march to the national capital.

On Farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' protest, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor 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."

Congress national general secretary Sachin Pilot on Wednesday said that farmers have once again started protesting due to the stubbornness of the Central government, which has been unable to solve their issues. He said farmers are not getting reasonable prices for their crops and the Congress party will provide a legal guarantee for minimum support price if its I.N.D.I.A bloc came to power after the Lok Sabha elections. "Farmers are protesting due to the stubbornness of the central government, which has not been able to solve their issues," Pilot told reporters. "The Centre had promised to implement MSP. Now that the tenure of the central government is about to end, it should fulfil its promises," the Congress leader said. The former Rajasthan deputy chief minister also expressed happiness at Congress leader Sonia Gandhi filing her nomination from Rajasthan for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls.

Haryana Police lobbed tear gas shells at farmers from Punjab at Shambhu border between the two states as thousands of protesters stayed put there on Wednesday, the second day of their 'Delhi Chalo' march. There was a similar standoff at Data Singhwala-Khanauri border in Haryana's Jind district, with Haryana Police barricades stopping farmers from travelling to Delhi on their tractor-trolleys. With the farmers from several places in Punjab continuing to pour in at the Shambhu border to participate in the 'Delhi Chalo' march, a large number of tractor-trolleys could be seen parked along the national highway on the Punjab side. The protesting farmers, who are demanding a guaranteed minimum support price (MSP), planned to make a fresh attempt to break past the multiple layers of barricades at the border with Haryana.

To visit her gynaecologist in Delhi, over eight-month pregnant Madhu Kumari on Wednesday trudged wearily on foot trying to bypass the Singhu border made impregnable by the police using multi-layered barricades. As a precaution, the streets and bylanes connecting Sonipat in Haryana to Delhi near the Singhu border were dug up to prevent the farmer protesters' 'Delhi Chalo' march from entering the national capital. The protesting farmers, demanding legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) were held back by the police near Ambala. Madhu, 30, accompanied by her husband and two other relatives, was one of the large number of commoners forced to face hardships due to the sealed border and heavy deployment of police and para military personnel in the wake of the farmers' march.

Bharatiya Kisan Union-Ugrahan (BKU-Ugrahan) on Wednesday announced that farmers will block the railway tracks in Punjab, tomorrow from 12 pm to 4 pm, in order to show solidarity with the farmers marching towards Delhi.

"I am coming from Etawah and have to go to Chandigarh, but I am stuck here since the last three days. There's a lot of problems," said a truck driver Jaiveer Singh.

Truck drivers are facing problems due to the ongoing farmers' protest.

On security arrangements amid farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' protest, Jhajjar SP Arpit Jain said there was peace so far in his district and the police placed barricades as a preventive measure.

"We have placed barricades as a preventive measure. If someone doesn't follow law & order, legal actions will be taken. Pedestrians have been given space. I urge everyone to maintain peace and harmony," he added.

BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi, who filed the nomination for Rajya Sabha elections in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, said the government is working to resolve the farmers' issues.

"The govt is working on the farmers' issues with sensitivity...Most of their demands have been accepted...Technically, since the Lok Sabha session has ended, the demand for a law is strange...The govt cannot form laws now," said Trivedi.

Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, who is also negotiating with protesting farmer leaders, urged agitators to come to the dialogue table to solve the issue so that common people should not suffer.

"I would like to urge all the leaders from different farmers' organizations to cooperate and communicate so that the common people shouldn't have to suffer, govt is determined in this regard... We have assured them that all the works of administrative nature will be fast-tracked... But in the formulation of new laws, there are so many things to consider... In the coming days, we want to discuss with the farmers' organizations and to look for any possible solutions," he added.

Former Madhya Pradesh CM and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh targeted the Modi government saying it has selected a minister, who represents the corporates of the country, to speak to protesting farmers.

"Their (farmers') demands should have been accepted. However, to hold discussions with them, they have selected a minister, who represents the corporates of the country. Piyush Goyal has been selected to hold talks, this is ridiculous," he added.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on spoke over the phone with a farmer who was injured during police action at the Shambhu border near Ambala. During his visit to a hospital in Rajpura, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring arranged a conversation between Gandhi and the farmer over a mobile phone. The farmer was admitted to the hospital. Gandhi asked the injured farmer where all he sustained injuries, and the farmer replied that he had sustained wounds on his hands and near his eye.

Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda reiterated that the government will continue to engage in dialogues to solve the issues. 

"I had already said that our efforts to hold positive discussions with the farmers' union will continue," he said.

Haryana Police made preparations to stop the agitators at Sector 9 in Bahadurgarh 1.5 km away from Tikri Border. The administration deployed vehicles with water cannons at the front as farmers with their tractors were trying to march ahead. Multi-layered security was arranged to deal with protesters, The vehicles with barbed wire were stationed behind the security forces.

As farmers advance their 'Delhi Chalo' march, hundreds of tractor trolleys are parked at Shambhu border.

Tear gas shells fired to disperse the agitating farmers who were approaching the Police barricade | Watch

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Farmers protest | "I would like to say that the Modi Government has taken several steps in the last 10 years to encourage the agriculture sector and for the welfare of farmers. When they posed their demands, the government sent its senior leaders and continued the dialogue...What is the reason that new demands are being added to the demands?...If new demands are being added, more time is also required. States need time to hold discussions. We are ready to continue the discussions. Most of their demands have been accepted but the new demands require more time. I urge the agitators to not indulge in vandalism, arson or violence. I request farmer leaders to come and have discussions..."

The 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 15th February.

RAF personnel, Police personnel and Riot Control Vehicle deployed at Singhu Border in Delhi in view of farmers' protest.

Authorities in Punjab have raised an objection over the use of a drone by Haryana to air-drop tear gas shells on agitating farmers in their territory at the Shambhu border, a senior official said on Wednesday.

A road in a village near the Shambhu border was dug up to prevent the movement of heavy vehicles as farmers in huge numbers were set to resume their Delhi chalo march on day 2.

Protesting farmers are adamant on the resumption of ongoing protests against the Centre government over a host of demands, including MSP. 

"Our preparations are complete. Whatever the government is doing...our preparations are also complete," says a farmer Gurlal Singh Kakkar at the Shambhu border.

Drone visuals showed the security arrangements at Tikri Border as the protesting farmers are adamant to resume their Delhi chalo march to put pressure on the Centre for their demands, including a law on minimum support price for crops and loan waivers.

'There could be attempts to infiltrate march, incite violence to defame farmers': Union agriculture minister Arjun Munda

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Centre and the states of Haryana and Punjab, on two petitions. One of them sought directions from the court to stay all "obstructive" actions by the two state governments and the Centre. The other pleaded for directions to ensure no highway is blocked by the protesters. The march began around 10 am from Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib, about 40 km from the Haryana border as farmers, including women, packed themselves in tractor-trolleys on Tuesday.

Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda said a law guaranteeing MSP cannot be brought in a hurry without consulting all stakeholders. He urged farmer groups to have a structured discussion with the government on the issue.

Munda and Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal had held last-ditch talks with farmer bodies in Chandigarh on Monday night. But the five-hour meeting remained inconclusive.