Farmer Unrest

The SC urged peaceful protests, prioritised farmer leader Dallewal's health, and directed a panel to mediate with farmers to consider halting highway blockades

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) observed a "black day" on Friday and burnt effigies of BJP leaders in protest against the Haryana Police's action against agitating farmers camping at two of the state's border points. The call was given by the SKM on Thursday to mourn the death of Shubhkaran Singh, who died in clashes between the Haryana Police and farmers from Punjab. The incident took place on Wednesday when the farmers taking part in a "Delhi Chalo" march organised by their unions rushed to the multi-layer barricades set up by authorities to prevent them from proceeding with their plan and clashed with police at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana. The Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), which is a part of the SKM, said on Friday that it held demonstrations at 47 places in 17 Punjab districts in protest against Singh's death. BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said they burnt effigies of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Haryana Chief Minis

Commuters in Punjab faced inconvenience on Friday as many buses stayed off the roads in response to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha's call for a 'Bharat Bandh' to press the government to accept farmers' demands including a legal guarantee of MSP. Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers' Union are supporting the Samyukta Kisan Morcha's (SKM) bandh call. During the day, farmers will also hold demonstrations at many places in Punjab under the banner of the SKM. Many farmer bodies including Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal), Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakunda), Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal), Bharatiya Kisan Union (Qadian) and Kirti Kisan Union are taking part in the bandh. Passengers were seen waiting for buses at many bus stands to reach their respective destinations. Mainly students and office-goers faced inconvenience because of the non-availability of buses. At the Patiala bus stand, a college student said he could not find any bus to go to Landran road. A government employee said

A marathon meeting between three Union ministers and leaders of protesting farmer unions concluded without a resolution here late Thursday with Union Minister Arjun Munda asserting that the discussion was "positive and another round of talks would be held on Sunday. The farmer leaders said they will continue to stay put at the two border points between Punjab and Haryana. Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Munda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai represented the Centre at the meeting over the farmer unions' various demands, including a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also joined the meeting at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Sector 26 here. The meeting started at around 8:45 pm on Thursday and lasted for around five hours. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Munda said the talks took place in a good atmosphere an

A panel of three Union ministers will hold a meeting with protesting farmer leaders in Chandigarh Thursday for another round of talks amid the ongoing standoff between the agitators and security personnel at the Punjab-Haryana border. 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 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. Farmers from Punjab are camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders of Punjab and Haryana seeking to march towards Delhi to press the Centre to accept their demands. The farmer leaders have said they will not make any fresh attempt to move towards the national capital till the meeting is held, asserting that the next course of action

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The farmers will take out a tractor rally on Saturday in the national capital and will submit memorandums to Governors across the country against the three farm laws.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, on Tuesday said the government should remove "obstacles" and open the doors for dialogue, over a month and a half since the talks between the two sides hit a roadblock.

What's on offer: Separate agricultural budgets, free water, stepped up direct transfers and a lot more

Farmers Protest LIVE updates: Unions say they would join talks but want the government to provide legal guarantee for procurement of crops at the Minimum Support Price.

Reacting to the PM's allegation, the protesting farmers' unions alleged that it was an attempt to "divide and mislead" the farmers and said they wanted a legal guarantee on MSP

The government has asked farmers' bodies to identify specific issues related to the three new farm laws and submit those by Wednesday for consideration and discussion in the next round of talks

Experts said anger over farm bills and the government not paying the Supreme Court-ordered financial incentive to farmers could be among the reasons for the spike in farm fires

As many as 31 farmers' outfits have given a call for the complete shutdown of Punjab tomorrow

NITI Aayog to hold meeting on Monday; central assistance likely to keep farm woes away