LIVE: Haryana govt suspends mobile internet services in 17 districts

Farmers' protest LIVE updates: The mobile internet services except voice calls will remain suspended in some Haryana districts with immediate effect until 5 pm on Saturday

5:27 PM

Farmers will not go back from this movement: Yogendra Yadav

5:07 PM

Internet suspended in several parts of Haryana

Haryana government has suspended internet services in several parts of the state including Ambala, Yamuna Nagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Panipat, Hisar, Jind, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Fatehabad, Rewari and Sirsa till 5 pm tomorrow, ANI reported quoting state directorate of information. 

5:03 PM

Govt destroying livelihood of farmers through the new agri laws: Rahul Gandhi

Govt destroying livelihood of farmers through the new agri laws, alleges Rahul Gandhi at a press conference

4:57 PM

Govt must talk to farmers and arrive at a solution: Rahul Gandhi

Govt must talk to farmers and arrive at a solution, said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, adding that the only solution is to repeal laws and put them in a waste basket. 

 

"Govt must not think farmers will go home. My concern is that this situation will spread. But, we don't need that, we need a solution," he said.

4:55 PM

LIVE: Why were people allowed in the Red Fort, asks Rahul Gandhi

Why were people allowed in the Red Fort? Why weren't they stopped? Ask the Home Minister what the objective was, of letting those people inside the premises, says Rahul Gandhi

4:37 PM

New farm laws herald new era of market freedom: Economic Survey

The government's annual Economic Survey on Friday strongly defended new farm laws, saying they herald a new era of market freedom which can go a long way in improving lives of small and marginal farmers in India.

 

These legislations were designed "primarily" for the benefit of "small and marginal farmers", which constitute around 85 per cent of the total number of farmers and are the biggest sufferer of the "regressive" APMC-regulated market regime, the survey said.

 

The pre-budget document defended the farm laws in the backdrop of long-running farmers' agitation at various borders of the national capital seeking repeal of these legislations expressing concern that they are pro-corporate and could weaken government regulated mandis, also called Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs).

4:18 PM

PM weakening India by attacking farmers: Rahul

The Congress hit out at the Centre on Friday over the farmers' protest against the new farm laws, with former party president Rahul Gandhi alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "weakening" India by "attacking" farmers.

 

The remarks by Gandhi came a day after the Congress alleged that the government was trying to divide and intimidate the farmers to break their protest against the three laws.

 

"PM is weakening India by attacking our farmers and workers. Only anti-national forces will benefit," Gandhi tweeted.

 

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also slammed the government over the issue.

3:49 PM

Maha Vikas Aghadi will make its own law for farmers if needed, says Ashok Chavan

Minister of Public Works Department (PWD) of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan on Friday sparked a controversy by saying that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government will make new laws for farmers in the State.

 

"MVA government is just waiting for the Supreme Court's verdict on the fate of the farm laws. The government will make its own law 'if needed,' Chavan told ANI over the phone.

 

Chavan said the cabinet sub-committee on the three farm laws is not holding meetings as the matter is pending in the Apex Court.

 

However, the respective departments have been instructed to study the resolution passed by Punjab, Rajasthan, and other states against these agriculture laws.

3:15 PM

More farmers from Haryana to head towards protest sites along Delhi's borders

Several farmers from parts of Haryana on Friday decided to head towards Delhi's borders to join the ongoing agitation against agri laws, saying the government's moves against peasant leaders will not weaken their protest. The Ghaziabad administration had on Thursday given an ultimatum to agitating farmers to vacate the Uttar Pradesh Gate protest site by midnight, while the Delhi Police had issued lookout notices against farmer leaders, PTI reported.

 

A number of farmers from Jind, Rohtak, Kaithal, Hisar, Bhiwani and Sonipat will be going towards various protest sites at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur, farmer leaders from Haryana claimed.

 

At the protest site at the Uttar Pradesh Gate in Ghazipur bordering Delhi, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait broke down while speaking to the media on Thursday evening. He alleged that "injustice" was being meted out to the farmers by the government by not repealing the new farm laws.

2:52 PM

Farmers' protest: Singhu turns into fortress; No one allowed to enter protest site

Multi-layered security arrangements, barricades put everywhere and all entry points sealed, Singhu border, the nerve-centre of the ongoing farmers protest with thousands of security personnel seen marching at the site, turned into a fortress on Friday. The heightened security measures and restrictions have been brought into place after violence on Republic Day that left 394 policemen injured and one protestor dead, accordign to a PTI report.

 

No one, even media personnel, are allowed to enter the protest site with area cordoned off by multiple concrete barricades and intermodal containers.

 

"These batons, tear gas shells and ammunition can't scare us. We won't budge, we won't leave till our demands of repealing three farm laws are met," said 26-year-old Manjeet Dhillon, from Haryana's Kaithal, while standing on the other side of the barricade.

2:48 PM

Clash broke out at Singhu border where farmers are protesting against farm laws

2:47 PM

LIVE: Locals clash with farmers at Singhu border, cops fire teargas shells

2:13 PM

Delhi Police baton charges and uses tear gas shells to control situation at Singhu border

2:04 PM

President Kovind condemns Republic Day violence during farmers protest

President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday strongly defended the three contentious agri laws that have sparked intense protests from a section of farmers, and condemned as "'very unfortunate" the Republic Day violence and the "insult" to the tricolour during the farmers' tractor parade here on January 26.

 

In his customary address to the joint sitting of Parliament that marks the start of the Budget session, Kovind also referred to the Chinese aggression on the border, and asserted that his government is vigilant and fully committed to protecting the country's interests.

 

Additional forces have been deployed to safeguard India's sovereignty, he said while paying tributes to the 20 soldiers who made supreme sacrifices in a clash with the Chinese army at the Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh in June last year. India and China are locked in a tense military standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 5 last.

1:06 PM

LIVE: AAP fully backs ongoing farmers' protest, says Arvind Kejriwal

AAP fully backs ongoing farmers' protest, calling their demands valid and attempts to discredit them completely wrong: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal