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

2:52 PM

Stage on which Rakesh Tikait and other farmer leaders were standing collapses in Haryana

2:30 PM

Student, youth activists gather at Mandi House for march in support of protesting farmers

Activists of several student, youth and women organisations assembled at Mandi House here on Wednesday for a march in support of the farmers staging protests at the national capital borders demanding repeal of the Centre's new farm laws, PTI reported.

 

The activists of AISA, SFI, AISF, DSF, NSUI, CYSS, AIPWA and AICCTU, carrying posters, banners and placards, gathered at Mandi House for the "citizens' march for farmers" till Jantar Mantar.

 

However, a senior police officer said they will not be allowed to march till Jantar Mantar as prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 were in force in the area. Roads near Mandi House were closed and traffic movement was affected.

2:25 PM

Delhi police preventing water tankers from reaching protesting farmers: Satyendra Jain

Delhi cabinet minister Satyendra Jain on Saturday claimed the Delhi police were preventing water tankers from reaching farmers protesting at Singhu border. Jain said, "We were getting calls from farmers at Singhu border regarding a water problem. I myself visited there and sent several hundred water tankers, but the Delhi police, at the behest of BJP, are not letting the tankers reach farmers", ANI quoted Jain as saying.

 

"The Delhi police are also blocking food provisions, machines to clean toilets, and doctors that the Delhi government has provided from reaching farmers," he added.

 

On being asked about the attack on Alipur SHO, he said, "They are all BJP workers. Have they told you they let that attacker off the hook? If you want, I can provide pictures of some BJP workers present at the attack site."

 

The minister critisised the Haryana government over suspension of telecom services, and use of tear gar and water cannon on farmers.

1:57 PM

Rakesh Tikait to attend Mahapanchayat in Haryana district today

1:56 PM

Farmers' protests at Delhi borders causing inconvenience to residents: Govt

The ongoing farmers' agitation has been causing inconvenience to the residents of the national capital as well as neighbouring states, the government told Parliament on Wednesday. Replying to an unstarred question, Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy said the information was shared with the Centre by the Delhi Police as Ghazipur, Chilla, Tikri and Singhu borders of the national capital have been blocked by the agitating farmers.

 

He further said "in any agitation there is financial loss incurred by people and governments".

 

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting on these Delhi borders of the capital since November 26, seeking withdrawal of the three contentious farm laws enacted in September last year. The agitation led to barricaded roads, creating traffic snarls in several areas of the city with commuters being diverted from many points.

1:36 PM

Tharoor, Rajdeep Sardesai move SC against multiple FIRs registered against them

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, journalist Rajdeep Sardesai move SC against multiple FIRs registered against them over alleged 'misleading' tweets on violence during farmers' tractor parade in Delhi on Republic Day.

12:50 PM

Opposition should not make farmers' stir another Shaheen Bagh: BJP in Rajya Sabha

Asserting that the new farm laws were passed after extensive deliberations in Parliament, the BJP on Tuesday said in Rajya Sabha that doors are always open for farmers to resolve the issue amicably, and urged opposition parties not to make the farmers' agitation another Shaheen Bagh.

 

Moving the Motion of Thanks to the President's address in the upper house, BJP member Bhubaneswar Kalita said the government respects farmers.

 

He said the government has given new rights to farmers through these new farm laws and none of their rights or facilities have been taken away.

 

Attacking the opposition members, who were trying to disrupt the proceedings of the House, he said, "Let me remind them that the three farm laws have been passed by both the houses of Parliament after much deliberations."

 

"The benefits of these three important farm laws have started reaching more than 10 crore people and small farmers. There has been no reduction in the rights and facilities of farmers. Through these agriculture reforms, the government has given new rights to farmers," he said initiating the debate.

12:41 PM

Releasing list of 115 persons lodged in Delhi's jails over Jan 26 violence: Kejriwal

We are releasing list of 115 persons lodged in Delhi's jails in connection with Jan 26 violence: CM Arvind Kejriwal

12:29 PM

Arvind Kejriwal says trying to connect with families of missing farmers

Arvind Kejriwal says trying to connect with families of missing farmers

11:43 AM

R-Day violence: Rakesh Tikait accuses Delhi Police of conspiracy

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Arajnaitik) leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday accused the Delhi Police of conspiracy behind the Republic Day violence.

 

Tikait who was en route to Jind to attend a Mahapanchayat, told ANI, "We have been holding panchayats since the last 35 years, protests are organised at Jantar Mantar but did any farmer organisation reach Parliament? A man was misled, an announcement was made and after 13 hours a religious flag was hoisted at the Red Fort. This is being investigated."

 

"The Delhi Police has conspired to do this and it is the main culprit. It barricaded the route allotted to us for the tractor rally and opened Delhi giving way to the farmers to enter the national capital," he stated.

 

11:40 AM

Use barbed wires on India borders, not against farmers: Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Wednesday lashed out at the Centre and demanded that concertina wires and other security measures should be used on the country's borders and not against farmers protesting on Delhi borders.

 

Her remarks come over the issue of placing of barricades and concrete slabs along with iron spikes and nails and concertina wires at farmers' protest sites on the Delhi borders.

 

In a series of tweets in Hindi, the BSP chief said: "The barricades along with barbed wires and iron nails etc on Delhi borders to spread panic among millions of agitating farmer families is not appropriate. It will be better if such action was taken on the country's borders."

11:34 AM

'Challenging Mussolini, Hitler rule' with his new directive on protest

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is daring to "challenge Mussolini and Hitler" with the new directive of depriving those who take part in the protest from government jobs and government contracts.

 

"Nitish Kumar is daring to challenge Hitler and Mussolini's rule, says if anyone takes part in protest by using democratic right against the power system, then you will not get a job. It means they will not even give jobs and will not allow someone to protest,"Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly Yadav said.

 

"Why is the poor chief minister with 40 seats so scared?" he added.

10:25 AM

Farmers' protest: BKU to organise 'khap panchayat' in Mathura today

In view of the ongoing farmers' protest against the Central agri laws, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) is organising "khap panchayat" in Mathura on Wednesday with BKU chief Naresh Tikait as its chief guest.

 

BKU has appealed to all the farmers to join the khap panchayat today. The Mathura administration has increased security in view of the panchayat.

 

Meanwhile, Haryana khap will organise "kisan mahapanchayat" today. BKU president Rakesh Tikait and several other leaders of various farmer unions are slated to address the gathering. The mahapanchayat will be held in the sports stadium of Kandela village. Read on...

10:23 AM

Congress MP Manish Tewari gives adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss the farmers' protest

Congress MP Manish Tewari gives adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss the farmers' protest

10:22 AM

Police announces cash reward for information leading to arrest of those allegedly involved in Jan 26 violence

Delhi Police announce cash reward of Rs 1 lakh each for information leading to arrest of Deep Sidhu, Jugraj Singh, Gurjot Singh & Gurjant Singh, & Rs 50,000 each for arrest of Jajbir Singh, Buta Singh, Sukhdev Singh & Iqbal Singh for their alleged involvement in Jan 26 violence.