Protesting farmer unions remain adamant on their demands, meeting still underway in Chandigarh

As per sources, the conversation between protesting farmer organisations and Union ministers so far in Chandigarh meeting turned out to be negative.Farmers organisations are adamant on making a concrete announcement on their demands.

(With inputs from Puneet Pareenja)

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. An officer said strict vigil, heavy deployment of personnel and multi-layer barricades will remain in place as the protesting farmers are still sitting at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana, near Ambala.

Here is the list of farmer leaders-

1. Jagjit Singh Dallewal, President BKU/Sidhupur
2. Shiv Kumar Kaka ji, President RKM
3. Sarwan Singh Pandher, Coordinator KMM
4. Baldev Singh Sirsa, President Lok Bhalai Welfare Insaf Party
5. Inder jit Singh Kot Buda, President BKU/kot buda
6. Abhimanyu Kohar, President, BKU/Naujawan, Haryana
7. KV Vijju, National Coordinator Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh
8. Sachin Mahapatra, President RKM Odisha
9. Kurubu Shanta Kumar, President, Karnataka Sugarcane Farmers Association
10. Jarnail Singh, President, BKU Kheti Bachao
11. Harpal Chaudhary, President BKU/A
12. Bibi Sukhwinder Kaur
13. Ranjit Singh Raju, President, Joint Kisan Sabha, Rajasthan.
14. Ramandeep Singh Mann, Member Delhi SKM
15. Guramneet Singh Mangat, President, Progressive Farmers Front, UP
16. Dilbagh Singh, Member BKU/Longowal
17. ⁠Akshay Narwal, President RKM Haryana

Three Union ministers reached the venue of their talks with farmer leaders in Chandigarh Thursday evening, amid a standoff between the protesters and security personnel at two border points of Punjab and Haryana. 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.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday criticised the "method" adopted by Punjab farmers to press their demands, suggesting that they were attempting to march to Delhi like an army on the offensive. "The Punjab government could have stopped farmers. If they did not stop, then there must be some understanding there and 'Delhi wale' say they are with the farmers' movement," Khattar said, in an apparent reference to the Aam Aadmi Party. "It is not right to comment but their (farmers') behaviour suggests that they have some kind of support," he added while responding to a question on AAP's involvement in the farmer's 'Delhi Chalo' call. Supporting farmers' demand is one thing but favouring this kind of agitation "sends the wrong message", the chief minister said. Asked about the Punjab government objecting to the use of a drone for tear gas shelling in its territory, Khattar said that Punjab has not faced an agitation of this kind before, unlike Haryana.

Ministers reached Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration at Sector 26 for a meeting with farmers. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema has also reached the venue for meeting.

According to sources, the Union Minister is currently at the Taj Hotel in Chandigarh where the meeting of ministers is going on with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema.

(With inputs from Puneet Pareenja)

What BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said on call for ‘Bharat Bandh’ tomorrow by farmer unions?

“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.”

BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said, “Barricading is wrong. The barricading done on NH by the Haryana government to stop us (is wrong). Our demand is with the Government of India and we have no issues with Harayana (government). We appeal to the farmers to be patient and stay with the movement.”

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 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."

"We will keep Haryana toll plaza free from 12 noon to 3 pm tomorrow', said Gurnam Singh Charuni today. Farmers' Unions declare toll plazas free across Punjab for commuters as part of their protest. 

On farmers' protest, Rajasthan Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra said, "Our leader Rahul Gandhi and also the national President Mallikarjun Kharge have very clearly and categorically said that if Congress will come to power we'll give legal status to guarantee the MSP. Congress stands firm with the peaceful protest of farmers." On the Supreme Court's verdict on electoral bond, he said, "We welcome this verdict. Supreme Court has asked for the report that SBI should tell that how much money as a donation was transacted and who were the donors."

On farmers' protest, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni said, " Three decisions were taken today, first one is, we will keep Haryana toll free for 3 hours tomorrow, from 12 pm to 3 pm...day after tomorrow, there will be a tractor parade in every Tehsil, from 12 noon. On February 18, there will be a joint meeting of all farmers' and labour organisations and further decisions will be taken in that meeting."

On policies for the agriculture sector, Agricultural economic Ashok Gulati said, "Government needs to take care as there are economic and political issues. Economically the government can give schemes like PM-Kisan etc but the issue is how much is in its kitty? The consumers want free food. But why are you giving free food to 800 million people? Is this a rational policy?. Farmers are taking the risks, and working hard to produce, so farmers' income has to go up."

Visuals from the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border show farmers continuing to stay put after being stopped by security forces from entering the national capital.

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar on farmers' protest | "It is not appropriate to comment but it is evident that they (farmers) are getting support from somewhere or the other. The Punjab government could have stopped them, but they did not, this shows that there must be some understanding. Delhi government says that they are in support of the farmers' movement..."

A commuter said he was stuck in traffic for an hour and urged the authorities to stop protesting farmers.

 "We have been stuck in traffic for an hour. The farmers should be strictly stopped otherwise they will destroy everything. Common people are facing a lot of problems. Farmers are enjoying all of this, the majority of them are goons. Government should take strict actions against them," he said.

The authorities banned internet services in three districts of Punjab till February 16. The internet service was disrupted in areas around the Shambhu border and Khanauri border.

Agitating farmers blocked railway track at Rajpura in Patiala district of Punjab.

The 'rail roko' demonstration by protesting farmers began in parts of Punjab. A number of protesters were seen sitting on railway tracks in Rajpura.

Ahead of a meeting with a panel of the Centre, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Thursday said the prime minister should speak to the three visiting Union ministers to resolve the farmers' issues. Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai will meet the farmer leaders at 5 pm here over their various demands, including a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. Addressing the media at the Shambhu border, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Pandher said protesting farmers' demands should be accepted. "We want that the prime minister should himself speak to the deputation (of union ministers) which is coming (for the meeting) and resolve the demands of farmers," he said.

The commuters in Delhi faced delays and traffic jams on GT Karnal Road entering into the national capital due to ongoing farmers' protestors. 

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on protest | "As far as the agitation is concerned, it has now reached across the country. A dharna has been organised in Haryana, reports about it are not coming at the internet service have been stopped. This agitation will get bigger in the coming days.

Ahead of a crucial meeting with three Union Ministers - Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal and Nityananda Rai, farmer leader General Secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Sarwan Singh Pandher held a press conference.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said their demands were not 'repetition' but a matter of life and death for them.

We will put forward our point in front of the ministers in today's meeting, he added.

BJP leader Dilip Ghosh,  when asked about Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait’s announcement of ‘Bharat Bandh’ on February 16, said they (farmer leaders) are holding protests only to show off their leadership.

“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,” he added.

On the meeting with ministers today, General Secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Sarvan Singh Pandher said he is confident about the positive output from the meeting with the Union Ministers.

"We are going to attend the meeting in a completely positive mood today and we have full confidence that a positive solution will emerge from this meeting," he added.

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. 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".

Three Union ministers will meet farmer leaders in Chandigarh Thursday for another round of talks as the standoff between the protesters and police at the Punjab-Haryana border entered its second day, marked by more clashes between the two sides. At Shambhu border point near Ambala, there was intermittent shelling Wednesday by security personnel at the ‘Delhi Chalo’ protesters who are demanding minimum support price for their crops. Tear smoke was used whenever any group of farmers moved towards the barricades.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has been roped in to assist in finding a resolution to the issues of farmers, particularly from Punjab, who have given a call to march towards the national capital, which has been turned into a fortress with police and other security personnel blocking roads with concrete blocks, barbed wires and tyre-busting spikes. Talks with the agitating farmers have so far remained inconclusive and Singh, a farmer leader from Uttar Pradesh and former agriculture minister, was sought out on Wednesday to explore a resolution. Sources said Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda met Singh at the latter's residence and discussed the ongoing farmers' protests and ways to address the issues.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union-Ugrahan (BKU-Ugrahan) today announced that farmers will block the railway tracks in Punjab on February 15 from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm, to show solidarity with the farmers marching towards Delhi.