Farmers' Protest: Union Ministers Begin Talks with Farmer Leaders in Chandigarh

The Haryana authorities sealed the state's border with Punjab at many places in Ambala, Jind, and Fatehabad districts with concrete blocks, road spike barriers and barbed wires to thwart a proposed march to Delhi by farmers on February 13. Union Ministers on Monday have started talks with the protesting farmers in Chandigarh.

New Delhi/Chandigarh:Ahead of the farmers' march to the national capital on February 13, Tuesday, Delhi Police has imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in North-East Delhi and at the borders with neighbouring Uttar Pradesh to avoid any untoward incidents and ensure law and order.

The Delhi Police also announced the imposition of Section 144 in Shahadara and Gandhi Nagar areas, effectively banning large gatherings until March 11.

Punjab-Haryana borders in Ambala, Jind, and Fatehabad districts have also been sealed ahead of the planned 'Delhi Chalo' march. This decision comes ahead of the 'Delhi Chalo' march organised by approximately 200 farmers' unions to press for a raft of demands, including a separate law to ensure Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farm produce and the withdrawal of cases filed against them during previous demonstrations.

Here are the latest updates:

• 8.07 PM
  Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher, among others, were part of the meeting with Union Ministers, which is currently underway in Chandigarh.
• 7.30 PM
  A team of Union ministers on Monday evening began talks in Chandigarh with farmer leaders in a bid to dissuade them from their 'Delhi Chalo' march to press the Centre for enactment of a law on minimum support price for crops. The ministers, including Food and Consumer Affairs minister Piyush Goyal and Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, were holding the second round of talks with the farmer leaders at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Sector 26 here.
• 6.00 PM
  Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has accused the BJP government of following the "policy of deceit in the name of farmers" and alleged it was taking "anti-democratic steps" to stop farmers from going to Delhi. "The character of the BJP is no less contradictory. On one hand, the Centre gave Bharat Ratna to the messiah of farmers Chaudhary Charan Singh ji and on the other hand, it is harassing the farmers by using force to stop them from reaching Delhi with their demands. BJP's two-pronged policy of deceit in the name of farmers is unacceptable," Yadav said in a statement.
• 5.00 PM
  The Delhi Police on Monday issued a traffic advisory in view of the proposed farmers' protest, alerting the commuters about restrictions on the movement of vehicles at three borders of New Delhi. According to the advisory, interstate buses intending to go towards Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal etc. via National Highway-44 will take ISBT to Majnu Ka Tilla to Signature Bridge to Khajuri Chowk to Loni Border to KMP via Khekra. Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) intending to go towards Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal etc. via National Highway-44 are suggested to take exit number-2 on NH-44 (DSIIDC) intersection to Harish Chander Hospital crossing to Bawana road crossing to Bawana Chowk to Bawana-Auchandi Road reaching Auchandi Border to KMP via Saidpur chowki.
• 4.00 PM
  A petition was filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday against the sealing of borders and suspension of mobile internet services by the Haryana government in the wake of farmer outfits calling for a protest march to Delhi on February 13. The petitioner, Uday Partap Singh, sought directions from the High Court to stay all "obstructive" actions by the governments of Haryana and Punjab and the Centre against the farmers' protest, alleging that they infringe on the fundamental rights and are "unconstitutional".
• 3.09 PM
  The Delhi Police have deployed over 5,000 security personnel while cranes and earth movers carrying large containers to block the road were also at work. Multiple security barricades have already been installed at the borders to stop the farmers from entering New Delhi. Nails have been erected on roads so that if the protesting farmers try to enter the city on vehicles, their tyres get punctured.
• 3.04 PM
  Delhi Police are also drones to keep a tight vigil at border points and are fully prepared to deal with any law and order situation.
• 1.55 PM
  Farmers' leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal on Monday alleged that many agriculturists, who were coming from other states including Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh to support the 'Delhi Chalo' march, have been detained and sought their release. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have announced that more than 200 farm unions would march to Delhi on February 13 to press the Centre to accept several demands, including the enactment of a law to guarantee a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
• 10.55 AM
  Union ministers will hold a second round of talks with the protesting farmers to persuade them not to go towards the national capital on Monday. Union agriculture minister Arjun Munda and food, consumer affairs, and public distribution minister Piyush Goyal will hold talks with the farmers in Chandigarh.
• 8.40 AM
  RPF personnel have been deployed and security has been tightened near Ghazipur border area on Monday, ahead of the farmers' call for March to Delhi on 13th February.
• 8.25 AM
  It is unfortunate that a farmer in this country is being dubbed "anti-national," General Secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee Sarvan Singh Pandher said, as crores of farmers from across the country will be marching to the national capital tomorrow to press for their demands.
• 7.30 AM
  Ahead of the farmer's agitation on February 13, the Delhi Police imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code at the Uttar Pradesh borders prohibiting mass meetings to maintain law and order.
• 7.10 AM
  Delhi Police has intensified security arrangements at Singhu, Ghazipur, Tikri borders with thousands of police personnel being deployed there. The police have also barred the entry of tractors, trolleys, buses, trucks, and commercial vehicles into the National Capital from Uttar Pradesh.
• 6.50 AM
  Haryana-Delhi borders fortified at many places by putting up concrete blocks, spike barriers and barbed wires to prevent vehicles carrying protesters from entering the national capital.
• 6.35 AM
  Delhi Traffic Police has issued a traffic advisory in view of the proposed farmer's protest on February 13 at the borders of Delhi. According to the police, there will be diversions around the Delhi-Haryana border.
• 6.05 AM
  Delhi Police have issued an order prohibiting the gathering of public at all borders between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in view of the protest march to the national capital called by farmers.

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