Farmers' protest LIVE: SC refuses to entertain pleas on R-Day violence

Farmers' protest LIVE updates: The central government has directed Twitter to comply with its order to remove contents/accounts related to farmer genocide hashtags

6:54 PM

Ex-SAD leader sends legal notice to Twitter to delete Kangana's defamatory tweet against farmers

Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Manjit Singh GK has sent a legal notice to social media giant Twitter asking it to immediately delete the account of Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut for tweeting alleged defamatory statements against farmers, PTI reported. The legal notice, which was sent to the Managing Director of Twitter in Maharashtra on Tuesday through e-mail, said the posts by the actress are factually incorrect and are maligning or tarnishing the image, reputation and goodwill of farmers and the entire Sikh community associated with them.

 

The notice, sent through advocate Naginder Benipal, said it was given for attacking the three farm laws passed by the Central Government with the assent of the President.

 

Referring to Ranaut's tweet, it said that on February 2, she had replied to a tweet of international pop star Ms. Rihanna who had tweeted "why aren't we talking about this?! #FarmersProtest".

6:26 PM

Farm genocide hashtags: Govt asks Twitter to comply or face penal action

Government has directed Twitter to comply with its order to remove contents/accounts related to farmer genocide hashtags, and warned that the microblogging platform may face "penal action" for non-compliance of its order, according to PTI report.

 

Government sources said that Twitter had unilaterally unblocked accounts and tweets despite specific order for blocking. Twitter is an intermediary' and is obliged to obey direction of government, sources said, adding that the platform may face penal action for not complying with government orders.

 

Government notice quoted more than half a dozen Supreme Court judgments including of constitutional benches as to what is public order and what the rights of authorities are. READ ON...

6:02 PM

India slams comments by foreign celebrities in support of farmer protests

India on Wednesday reacted sharply to comments by foreign celebrities and others, including pop singer Rihanna on farmers' protests, saying a very small section of farmers in parts of the country have some reservations about the farm reforms and a proper understanding of the issue is needed before rushing to comment on the agitation.

 

"The temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is neither accurate nor responsible," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a curt statement.

 

The MEA's reaction came after several international celebrities and activists including American pop singer Rihanna and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg tweeted about the farmers' protest in India. READ ON...

5:36 PM

'Chakka Jaam' on Feb 6 should be postponed: Haryana Minister Anil Vij

Everyone has the right to protest but it should not affect life of common man. When Govt is ready for talks over farmers' issue and PM Narendra Modi gave them an open invitation then matter should be resolved through talks. 'Chakka Jaam' on Feb 6 should be postponed: Haryana Minister Anil Vij

5:23 PM

Farm laws: Lok Sabha adjourned for 20 mins as opposition disrupts Question Hour

The proceedings of Lok Sabha were adjourned for about 20 minutes till 4.30 PM on Wednesday after opposition members disrupted the Question Hour over the three new farm laws.

 

As soon as the proceedings started at 4 PM, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury tried to raise the issue of protesting farmers, saying that the matter is maligning the image of the country.

 

"We are concerned," he said.

 

Urging members to return to their seats, Speaker Om Birla said they should maintain the dignity of the House or he will have to take disciplinary actions against those who violate norms. READ ON...

5:13 PM

Lok Sabha adjourned till 7 pm amid uproar by the Opposition in the House, over farm laws

Lok Sabha adjourned till 7 pm amid uproar by the Opposition in the House, over farm laws

4:57 PM

Farmers protest: Delhi govt issuing list of 155 people arrested from R-Day violence, says Kejriwal

Stating that the issue of farmers missing from protest sites is a matter of "grave concern", Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said that his government is issuing a list of 115 people who were arrested and currently locked up in various jails of Delhi after violence during farmers' tractor rally on Republic Day, PTI reported.

 

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said that the Delhi government has received complaints from the families of those who had come to Delhi to participate in farmers' protest but haven't returned home.

 

"This is the responsibility of the government to find those people and inform their families. The issue of farmers missing from the protest sites is a matter of grave concern. We are trying our best to connect them to their families," he said. "We are issuing a list of 115 people who have been arrested after January 26 violence and are kept in various Delhi jails. I hope it helps people looking for their family members who went missing after participating in Kisan Andolan on January 26," the Chief Minister said.

4:28 PM

Farmers protest LIVE: India's reputation has taken a massive hit, says Rahul

Amid the ongoing farmers' protest against the new farm laws, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said India's reputation has taken a "massive hit" and its biggest strength, its soft power, has been "shattered" by the BJP and the RSS.

 

Addressing a press conference, he said that the farmers' issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible and the government needs to listen to them.

 

Asked if India's image at the international level has taken a beating with barricading at Delhi's borders where farmers are protesting and reports of treatment meted out to them, Gandhi said, "Absolutely the reputation of India has taken a massive hit. Not only on how we are treating our farmers, but on how we treat our people, how we treat journalists."

 

"Our biggest strength, you can call it soft power, has been shattered by the BJP-RSS, their mindset," he said.

3:58 PM

Jind mahapanchayat demands repeal of farm laws

A "mahapanchayat" attended by Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday renewed the call to repeal the new farm laws, an event marred by the collapse of the stage on which the speakers had assembled, PTI reported. According to initial reports, nobody was hurt when the dais constructed at Kandela village in Jind district collapsed under the weight of the people gathered on it.

 

Tikait has been mostly camping at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border since the protests over the central laws intensified, with farmers massing just outside the national capital two months ago.

 

The large gathering at Jind's Kandela village was attended by several khap leaders. The event was organised by the Sarv Jatiya Kandela Khap headed by Tekram Kandela. Tikait appealed to people not to panic after the stage collapse and addressed them.

3:43 PM

Why Delhi being converted into 'fortress', asks Rahul Gandhi

Farmers who work hard for us protesting at Delhi borders; why is Delhi being converted into 'fortress', asks Rahul Gandhi

3:42 PM

Farmers' issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible; govt needs to listen to them: Rahul Gandhi

Farmers' issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible; govt needs to listen to them: Rahul Gandhi at press conference

3:36 PM

Holding no informal talks with farmers, barricading is local admin issue: Agriculture Minister

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar Wednesday said the Centre is not holding any informal talk with protesting farmers and described putting up of more barricades and suspending internet in and around agitation sites as law and order issues related to local administrations.

 

The last and 11th round of meeting between the government and 41 protesting unions, held on January 22, was inconclusive. The Centre had asked unions to reconsider the government's proposal to suspend new farm laws for 18 months. Asked when the government will hold the next round of talks and if it was engaging with the unions informally, Tomar replied in the negative.

 

"No. We will inform when formal talks will be held," Tomar told PTI.

3:28 PM

Why is Delhi being converted into a fortress? Rahul Gandhi holds presser on farmers' issue

3:04 PM

Dais collapses at farmer leader Rakesh Tikait's 'mahapanchayat' in Haryana's Jind

Dais collapses at farmer leader Rakesh Tikait's 'mahapanchayat' in Haryana's Jind

3:03 PM

Govt issues notice to Twitter to comply with its order to remove contents/accounts related to farmer genocide

Govt has issued notice to Twitter to comply with its order to remove contents/accounts related to farmer genocide. Content With (Modi Planning Farmer Genocide) hashtag was posted on Twitter which was designed to inflame passions, hatred & factually incorrect: ANI Sources