Farmers' Stir: Farmers to observe Jan 30 as 'Sadbhavna Diwas'

01:28 January 30

Delhi Police urge people to assist probe with footage of Republic Day tractor rally violence

Delhi Police has urged public to come forward and get their statements recorded or hand over the footage if they happened to witness the violence on January 26 when farmers clashed with security personnel during their tractor rally. 

"All members of the public, including media personnel, who are witnesses to the incidents or have any information about the incident or have captured any activity on their mobile phones or camera, are hereby requested to come forward and give their statements/footage/picture in their possession", Delhi Police said on Twitter. 

It said the identity of people providing information will be kept confidential. On Tuesday, during the tractor rally, a group of farmers deviated from the assigned route, broke through barriers, clashed with security personnel in several parts of Delhi. 

They also vandalised property and even entered the Red Fort, where they hoisted their flags. Over 25 FIRs have been registered in connection with the January 26 violence. 

It has lodged an FIR under sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and sections of IPC dealing with sedition. Delhi Police on Friday served notices to 12 farmer leaders, including Buta Singh Burjgill, Darshan Pal Singh, Rakesh Tikait, Shamsher Pandher and Satnam Pannu, to join an investigation into the violence. 

Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws - Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. 

(ANI)

22:58 January 29

'Farmers' movement can't be suppressed by repression'

Reacting to the Centre's efforts to stop the supply of electricity and water at the farmers' agitation sites and by the police to end the movement, senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Punjab Assembly Harpal Singh Cheema said that by stopping the electricity and water of the agitating farmers, Modi government was trying to crush the farmers' movement, but the farmers were not going to kneel before the government's repression.

22:56 January 29

Farmers to observe Jan 30 as 'Sadbhavna Diwas'

Farmer unions protesting at different border near Delhi have called for a fast on January 30, saying they would celebrate the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi as 'Sadbhavna Diwas'.

"We appeal to everyone in the country to join us in observing fast on January 30," said a Kisan Ekta Morcha leader as saying.

20:11 January 29

Anna Hazare not to protest against farm laws

Activist Anna Hazare has announced that he would not be protesting against the Union government's new farm laws from tomorrow.

Earlier, Hazare had announced to launch an indefinite hunger strike from tomorrow, following which Maharashtra leaders Devendra Fadanvis and Union minister of state for Agriculture Kailas Chaudhari met Octogenarian social activist and convinced him against doing so.  

19:53 January 29

Rahul Gandhi declared war on Indian people: Smriti Irani

Union minister Smriti Irani today called out Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for instigating "anarchic elements" to spread fire in the country.

"Rahul Gandhi not only wants law-order breakdown but also supports anarchic elements daring to insult tricolour, break nation," she said.

"Instead of calling for peace, he called for anarchic elements to spread fire in the country," she said, adding that Gandhi declared war on Indian people by saying cities will burn if PM does not support his stand.

"Shocking but expected of Rahul Gandhi that over 300 injured cops didn't receive a word of consolation from him," she added.

19:38 January 29

New laws have multiple benefits for farmers, says CEA

Amid the ongoing controversy over the three new farm laws, Chief Economic Adviser KV Subramanian said the legislations will have multiple benefits for the farmers. Item Updated Successfully!

"Economics says that it (the farm laws) has many benefits," he said.

19:27 January 29

BJP's anti-social elements attacked farmers at Singhu border: Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused BJP members of attacking protesting farmers at Singhu border. He accused the BJP of only working for a few businessmen and committing atrocities on farmers.  

18:58 January 29

Centre using force to suppress farmers: Sukhbir Singh Badal

Former alliance partner of the BJP, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal alleged that the central government is using force against the protesting farmers.

18:57 January 29

Yuva Chetna Manch lends support to BKU's protest against farm laws

Yuva Chetna Manch, a social organisation active in the eastern districts of Uttar Pradesh, has extended its support to Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) protesting against the new farm laws at Delhi's borders and staged a dharna at the district headquarters today.

18:50 January 29

BJP members masqueraded as farmers, vandalised Delhi R-Day: Rakesh Tikait

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said that BJP leaders and members disguised as farmers indulged in violence during farmers' tractor on Republic day.

"Two BJP MLAs came along with 400 people to malign the image of farmers on January 26. They tried to target Sikh people and show them as anti-national. We do not trust the UP government after this," said Tikait. 

18:44 January 29

AAP blames BJP for creating violence at Singhu border

Speaking to ETV Bharat, AAP legislator from Narela constituency, Sharad Chouhan, claimed that the protesters creating ruckus at Singhu border are none other than BJP workers.

18:28 January 29

Hazare to launch indefinite fast against farm laws from tomorrow

Activist Anna Hazare has announced that he would be launching an indefinite hunger strike against the Union government's new farm laws on Saturday at his village Ralegaon Siddhi in Maharashtra.

17:55 January 29

Naresh Tikait rejoins stir

Bharatiya Kisan Union president Naresh Tikait reextended support to farmer agitation. He asked farmers to leave for Delhi in small groups.

17:33 January 29

'Farmers will not go back from this movement, humiliated and defamed'

Swaraj Party leader Yogendra Yadav said, "Modi ji and Yogi ji and all others must listen carefully, farmers will not go back from this movement, humiliated and defamed." 

17:18 January 29

Repeal farm laws or this agitation will spread to big cities: Rahul Gandhi 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "Farmers haven't understood the (farm) bill completely. In Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan they have understood. The government should know that these protests will not stop here. This agitation will spread from here to the big cities because it is not only the farmers who have been robbed of their livelihood. It is going to create instability which is not good for the country. Therefore, I urge the government to take back the laws."

17:12 January 29

Biggest transfer of wealth poor to rich: Rahul Gandhi on farm laws

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on farm laws, "This is the biggest transfer of wealth from the largest number of people to a select group of people. During the COVID, the poor got poorer and a handful of people got richer and richer. This anger that you are seeing among the farmers is due to that."

17:01 January 29

Farmers at Tikri border blames BJP supporters for violence

Farmers protesting at Tikri border said that they are agitating peacefully despite the violence by the 'BJP supporters'.

The farmers said that the local people who are creating a ruckus are BJP workers. These people are trying to spoil the atmosphere here, they alleged.

16:43 January 29

Farmer leaders gather for Kishan Maha panchayat in Muzaffarnagar

Farmer leaders gathered for Kishan Maha Panchayat, at Inter College Muzaffarnagar, in support of Rakesh Tikait, who is protesting against the new farm laws at Ghazipur border.

16:28 January 29

Home Secretary takes stock of prevailing law and order

Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla is taking stock of the prevailing law and order situation over farmers agitation.

Senior officials briefed Bhalla about the clash that broke out between farmers and locals at Gazipur border. 

16:02 January 29

RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary reaches Ghazipur border

Senior Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Jayant Chaudhary reached Ghazipur border to encourage the farmers.  

Chaudhary said that our party has been fighting for the rights of farmers from the beginning and will continue to fight even further.

15:52 January 29

BKU (Lok Shakti) rejoins farmers' stir

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) has announced that they would rejoin the farmers' agitation against the controversial farm laws. 

BKU has extended its support after the protest came to an end at Delhi's Chilla Border.

15:42 January 29

Delhi Police hit protesting farmer at Singhu border

Delhi Police hit a protesting farmer after he attacked Police personnel at Singhu border. 

15:26 January 29

Group of people claiming to be locals gathered at Singhu border demanding that the area be vacated.

15:11 January 29

Alipur SHO attcked by protestors

Alipur SHO Pradeep Paliwal injured in clash at Singhu border

Alipur SHO Pradeep Paliwal injured in a clash that broke out at Delhi's Singhu border where farmers are protesting against farm laws. The police personnel tried to stop a protesting farmer after he attacked the SHO.

15:08 January 29

Bijnor District Bar Association comes in support of agitating farmers

Bijnor District Bar Association have blocked the Jazi intersection showing solidarity with agitating farmers. Meanwhile, all the boundaries of the district have been sealed by the police. 

14:20 January 29

Locals at Tikri border demand area be vacated

A group of people gathered at Tikri border demanding that the area be vacated.

13:54 January 29

Delhi Police use tear gas at Singhu border

Clashes broke out between agitating farmers and a large group of people claiming to be locals at the Singhu border as police resorted to lathicharge and used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Armed with sticks, the group of locals reached the site and asked the farmers to leave while raising slogans against them. Both sides also pelted stones at each other.

13:52 January 29

Scuffle breaks out at Singhu

According to reports, a scuffle broke out at Singhu border where a group of people claiming to be locals demanded that the area be vacated. Stone pelting was also reported at the site.

13:32 January 29

'Locals' at Singhu demand that area be vacated

According to reports, a group of people claiming to be locals gathered at the Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border) demanding that the area be vacated.

The locals demanded that farmers vacate the Singhu border protest site as they had "insulted" the national flag during their tractor parade on Republic Day.

13:29 January 29

AAP MLA reaches Ghazipur border with water tankers

On the request of farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal arranged water for the protesters camped at Ghazipur border. At around 1 am today, Aam Aadmi Party MLA Kuldeep Kumar reached the Ghazipur border with water tankers.

13:18 January 29

RLP MP raises slogans during Prez address in Parliament

Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) MP Hanuman Beniwal showed a placard and raised slogans, demanding the repeal of the three farm laws, during the President's Address in the Parliament today.

12:49 January 29

Farmers' demands valid, attempts to discredit them completely wrong: Kejriwal

Kejriwal's tweet

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said the AAP fully backs the ongoing protest of farmers, calling their demands valid and attempts to discredit them completely wrong.

Kejriwal was responding to a tweet from an unverified account of farmer leader Rakesh Tikait in which he had thanked him for making arrangements at the border for farmers.

"Rakesh ji, we are fully with the farmers. Your demands are valid. It is completely wrong to discredit the farmers' movement, calling the farmers as traitors and making false cases against the farmer leaders who have been agitating peacefully for so many days," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

12:27 January 29

Farmers' issues must be raised in Parliament: RLD Leader Jayant Chaudhary

New Delhi: As farmers continue their protests at Delhi borders, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Jayant Chaudhary on Friday said that the issues of the farmers must be raised in Parliament.

Jayant Chaudhary at the Ghazipur border told ANI, "I want these issues to be raised in Parliament. If the Centre goes on backfoot, it won't show that they are weak. Instead, it'll take forward their leadership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi must speak on this. He needs to gain their trust."

12:06 January 29

Delhi Minister Satyendra Jain and Raghav Chadha arrive at Singhu border

New Delhi: Delhi Minister Satyendra Jain and AAP MLA Raghav Chadha arrive at Singhu border where farmers are protesting against farm laws. 

"We're here to inspect arrangement of water & toilets done by us. Police stopped movement of water tankers so that they can't reach here" says Jain.

11:57 January 29

Govt sending RSS people to instigate clashes at Singhu border: KMSC

New Delhi: Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) leader Satnam Singh Pannu on Friday claimed that the central government is sending Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliated people to instigate clashes at the protest site.  

"Modi government is using sick tactics to delegitimise our movement. They are sending the RSS people to instigate clashes here; they did it two times yesterday. We will make sacrifices but not go back until and unless the laws are repealed," Pannu said at the Singhu border.

11:41 January 29

Arrangements for drinking water, other facilities in place for farmers at Ghazipur border: Sisodia

New Delhi: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday said the city government has made arrangements for drinking water and other facilities for the farmers protesting at the Ghazipur border.

The farmers protesting under the Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) banner claimed on Thursday that the local administration withdrew water tankers and snapped the power supply to the UP Gate protest site.

11:33 January 29

Crowd swells at UP Gate, 'excess force' removed

Ghaziabad (UP): Hundreds of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) members stayed put on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway on Friday as the crowd swelled there overnight, notwithstanding the Ghaziabad administration's ultimatum to vacate the UP Gate protest site.

On a call of the BKU, more farmers from western Uttar Pradesh districts such as Meerut, Baghpat, Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar, Moradabad and Bulandshahr reached the UP Gate by early morning to join the stir, even as the security forces at the protest site thinned out overnight.

10:57 January 29

Will talk to centre about our issues: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait

Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh): While urging the people protesting against the farm laws to remain peaceful, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Friday said that farmers' leaders will talk to the central government about their issues.

10:50 January 29

Heavy security deployment at Tikri, Singhu borders as more farmers join protest

Additional security forces have been deployed at the Singhu and Tikri borders in order to maintain the law and situation as farmers continue with their agitation against three Central farm laws on Friday.

Amid more and more farmers joining the protest against agriculture laws after Rakesh Tikait made a series of 'emotional statements' on Thursday, security was heightened at the Singhu and Tikri borders

10:17 January 29

RLD chief Ajit Singh announces support to BKU

RLD chief Ajit Singh announces support to BKU

New Delhi: Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh has announced support to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), the members of which are staging a protest against the Centre's new farm laws at the Delhi-Ghaziabad border.

The former Union minister has spoken to BKU president Naresh Tikait and spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, RLD vice president and his son Jayant Chaudhary said.

"It is a matter of life and death for farmers, but do not worry. All have to stay together, united in this -- this is Chaudhary saahab's (Ajit Singh's) message," the RLD vice president said in a tweet in Hindi.

The Tikait brothers, sons of legendary farm leader Mahendra Singh Tikait, are leading the BKU, the members of which are camping at the UP Gate (Ghazipur border) for two months now demanding a rollback of the contentious farm laws brought by the Centre in September last year.

The RLD, which was virtually wiped out in the last Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, was founded by Singh, son of Chaudhary Charan Singh, a former prime minister and a farmer leader from western Uttar Pradesh. 

09:54 January 29

RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary meets Rakesh Tikait at Ghazipur Border

RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary arrives at Ghazipur border

Ghazipur Border: A huge crowd of people gathered at Ghazipur border amid the ongoing farmers' protest on January 29. RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary arrived at the site to meet Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait and other farmers. Local administration asked farmer unions to vacate the border area. The police took stringent action following the violence in Delhi during farmers' tractor rally. Farmers are protesting against the Centre's three farm laws. 

09:52 January 29

Few Delhi borders closed, security heightened

Few Delhi borders closed, security heightened

New Delhi: Some Delhi borders have been closed, announced Delhi Traffic Police on Friday morning.

"Singhu, Auchandi, Mangesh, Saboli, Piau Maniyari borders closed. Lampur, Safiabad, Singhu school and Palla toll tax borders opened. Traffic diverted from NH-44 near Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Narela. Avoid Outer Ring Road, GT Karnal road and NH-44," the Delhi Traffic Police informed on Friday.

09:28 January 29

Farmers' Stir Updates

Farmers' stir LIVE: Sit-in protest continues

New Delhi:Hundreds of Bharatiya Kisan Union members stayed on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway early on Friday, notwithstanding the Ghaziabad administration's ultimatum to vacate the UP gate protest site. A confrontation built up at the UP Gate in Ghazipur even as frequent power cuts were witnessed in the evening at the protest site, where BKU members, led by Rakesh Tikait, have been staying since November 28.

In a post-midnight review of the situation, Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey and Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani visited the protest site even as hundreds of security personnel in anti-riot gears were deployed since Thursday.

Flanked by supporters at 1 am, Tikait remained at the centre stage of the protest site -- the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, which has been barricaded from both the sides, prohibiting regular traffic movement.

Around 500 protestors stayed put at UP Gate with more pouring in from western Uttar Pradesh in the night on the call of the BKU, an influential farmers' union in North India.

Thousands of protesting farmers have been protesting at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh demanding the rollback of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporations.

However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.