LIVE: All-party meet by Punjab CM demands withdrawal of Centre's farm laws

Farmers' protest LIVE updates: Protest sites at Delhi's borders -- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur have turned into fortresses as police beefed up security and strengthened barricades

10:56 PM

MP CM Shivraj Singh warns of FIR, property auction if farmers are not paid

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday told district authorities to lodge criminal cases, and auction property if need be, of those who renege on payment to farmers after procuring produce at support price, according to PTI.

Chairing a meeting on the issue through video- conference on Tuesday, the CM told district collectors to check if such cases are pending in their jurisdiction and to take action in each instance promptly, an official said. Apart from criminal cases being lodged, the CM directed that the property of those responsible for not paying farmers in such a manner be auctioned so that the amount in question can be recovered, the official added.

Chouhan praised districts officials in Gwalior for auctioning the property of a society which had failed to pay farmers after procuring crops, the state public relations department informed.

8:24 PM

Farmer agitation rocks Lok Sabha

The issue of ongoing farmer agitation against three farm laws rocked the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, resulting in repeated disruptions and forcing Speaker Om Birla to adjourn the House for the day, according to PTI. When the House reassembled after initial adjournments at 7 pm, Birla asked BJP member Locket Chatterjee to initiate the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the president's address amid sloganeeering by the opposition members.

 

Chatterjee began her speech by praising the government for deciding to celebrate the birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on January 23 as 'Prakram Diwas' every year. The member from the poll-bound state of West Bengal continued her address amid the din.

 

After repeated appeals by the speaker and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi failed to calm the agitated members, Birla adjourned the House for the day. Earlier, the proceedings of the House were adjourned for about an hour till 7 pm after opposition members disrupted the Question Hour to press for repeal of the farm laws.

8:16 PM

Tractors used as weapon against police personnel on Jan 26: Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police

8:01 PM

Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut meets Tikait, extends party's support to farmers' stir

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday met Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait and extended full support of his party and the Maharashtra government to the farmers' protest against the contentious farm laws, PTI reported. The Rajya Sabha MP said he reached Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border along with other Shiv Sena MPs on instructions of Maharashtra Chief Minister and party supremo Uddhav Thackeray, even as the protest site virtually remained a heavily secured fortress for a second day.

 

The Shiv Sena has from day one opposed the new farm laws and supports all farmers' protests ongoing in the country, Raut said embracing Tikait as they spoke to the press inside a tarpaulin-covered shelter off the protest stage.

 

Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has specially sent me here today to meet Tikait sahab and convey to him that we, Shiv Sena, and the Maharashtra government are in their full support with our full might. I have come here with all our party MPs, Raut said.

7:52 PM

Rakesh Tikait to attend Mahapanchayat in Haryana district tomorrow

7:41 PM

JJP district president Inderjit Singh Goraya quits party over farm laws

Ruling JJP's Karnal district president Inderjit Singh Goraya on Tuesday quit the party in solidarity with farmers protesting against the Centre's agriculture laws. Goraya, a leader of BJP's coalition partner Jannayak Janta Party in Haryana, quit his party post along with the party, saying he had earlier asked Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala to exert pressure on the Centre to roll back these anti-farmers laws.

 

The stir against these farm laws has become a people's movement but the Centre is not accepting the farmers' demand to repeal them, he said.

 

Thousands of farmers are protesting for the past 70 days at various Delhi border points against these laws. I am a farmer first and I decided to resign from my post and quit the party to stand with them, he said. He alleged that instead of accepting farmers' demands the Centre is using tactics to defame the agitation after the January 26 in Delhi".

7:21 PM

All-party meet demands withdrawal of Centre's farm laws

An all-party meeting convened by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday demanded immediate withdrawal of the three farm laws while holding the BJP-led central government responsible for a substantial delay in resolving the crisis, PTI reported.

 

Terming the violence during the tractor rally on Republic Day in Delhi as sponsored, the meeting also demanded a judicial probe into the laxity and complicity of those responsible for maintaining peace at the Red Fort. The meeting also decided to send an all-party delegation to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and raise various issues relating to farmers' agitation.

 

While the BJP boycotted the meeting, the Aam Aadmi Party walked out over their demand for deployment of the Punjab police personnel to protect farmers protesting at Delhi borders. The Congress, SAD, Lok Insaaf Party, SAD (Democratic), BSP, CPI and CPI (M) attended the meeting, a government release said.

6:53 PM

Haryana govt extends suspension of mobile internet services in some districts till 5 pm on Feb 3

Haryana government extends the suspension of mobile internet services, SMS services (only Bulk SMS) and all dongle services on mobile networks except the voice calls in Kaithal, Panipat, Jind, Rohtak, Charkhi Dadri, Sonipat and Jhajjar till 5 pm on February 3: ANI

6:33 PM

No info on losses incurred by farmers for being unable to sell produce in Delhi due to protest: Agri Minister

The Centre has not received any information on losses incurred by farmers for not being able to sell their produce in the national capital owing to the farmers' protest at various border points of the city against new farm laws, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

 

Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh, are agitating for over two months now seeking repeal of the three new farm laws enacted by the central government as well as a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

 

"Government of India has not received any information of loss to the farmers due to closed borders barring them to sell their produce to national capital. Hence, the question of compensation for loss of produce does not arise," Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

5:47 PM

Farm protests: Delhi Police cements nails, barricades at Ghazipur border

Security remained tightened at the Ghazipur and Tikri borders of the national capital in view of the ongoing farmers' agitation against the central farm laws. The Delhi Police has cemented nails near barricades at Ghazipur (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh) and Tikri (Delhi-Haryana) borders.

 

Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava had visited the Ghazipur border on Monday to inspect the security arrangements. Also, police have heavily barricaded the Ghazipur border. Barbed wire and cement barricades have been planted on the roads to restrict the movement of the farmers.

 

The farmers' protest at the Ghazipur border entered its 67th day today. They have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 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. READ MORE...

 

5:01 PM

Farmers' protest: Delhi court grants bail to journalist Mandeep Punia

A Delhi court Tuesday granted bail to freelance journalist Mandeep Punia who was arrested by Delhi Police from farmers' protest site at Singhu border. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Satvir Singh Lamba observed that the complainant, victims and witnesses are police personnel only. Hence, there is no possibility that accused/ applicant can influence any of the police officials, PTI reported.

 

Punia was arrested by police on Sunday in an FIR registered under various sections including 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) of IPC.

 

The court directed Punia not to leave the country without its prior permission.

4:31 PM

Rakesh Tikait warns farmers' agitation will not conclude before October

Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Tuesday warned the farmers' agitation will not conclude unless government repeals the three newly enacted agriculture laws and it may go on till October.

 

"Our slogan is 'Kanoon Wapsi Nahi toh Ghar Wapasi Nahi'. This agitation will not conclude before October, it will not end anytime soon," said Tikait while addressing a rally at Ghazipur border.

 

Reacting to the heavy deployment of security personnel and fencing at the borders of Delhi, he said, "The government's strategy to stop the farmers is going to backfire as it will restrict movements of farm produces to various places and in turn harm common people. I urge all of you to be prepared to carry this movement till October/November. Let the government do as much fencing as they want to do."

 

Tikait said the youth who hoisted the flag at Red Fort was given way by the authorities themselves. "All this was done to malign the image of Punjabi community and paint the image of farmers as anti-national," he added.

3:58 PM

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal's vehicle attacked in Jalalabad today

3:57 PM

Stop farmers in states, provide details about kids, females coming to Delhi: Police to Haryana, Punjab DGsP

Delhi Police after receiving intelligence inputs from agencies has asked Punjab and Haryana's Director Generals of Police (DGsP) to stop farmers at their locations and prevent them from entering Delhi, ANI reported. A letter has been received by DGsP of Haryana and Punjab regarding the same. The Delhi Police has also asked the DGsP to provide details about the number of protesters, women, and children who will be coming to Delhi.

 

In the letter, the Delhi Police has said a group of farmers was routed to Delhi by train and the train was diverted to Rewari, following which 300 protesters deboarded the train and are reaching Delhi through various means of transport.

 

Delhi Police has also requested the DGsP, stating that there is tension at the protesting sites/borders and on Republic Day they entered Delhi and injured police staff and damaged government/private property.

3:25 PM

Opposition parties move adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over farm laws

Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and CPI (M) on Tuesday gave adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over the demand on repealing all three farm laws in view of farmers' protest, according to a PTI. Shiv Sena MP Vinayak Raut has also moved adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha and demanding discussion on Republic Day violence in Delhi during farmers' tractor rally.

 

The Lok Sabha will meet today at 4 pm and the agenda includes the 27 bills passed by the Houses of Parliament during the fourth session of the 17th Lok Sabha will be tabled in the Lower House.

2:51 PM

Akhilesh Yadav slams govt over barricades at farmers' protest sites

Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday attacked the BJP government at the Centre over the police setting up barricades and road blocks at farmer agitation sites on Delhi's borders. Farmers' protest sites at Delhi's borders have turned into fortresses with police beefing up security and strengthening barricades. Iron rods have been hooked between two rows of cement barriers on a flank of the main highway at the Singhu border to further restrict the movement of protesters, agitating against the new farm laws, PTI reported.

 

Another portion of the highway at the Delhi-Haryana border is practically blocked as a makeshift cement wall has come up there. At Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, there are multi-layer barricades to stop the movement of vehicles. Barbed wire has also been put up to keep off people on foot.

 

"Politics you are awesome, with wall raised on the way and spiked wire, you say lets talk)," Yadav said in a tweet in Hindi with hashtag #farmer #nahi-chahiye-BJP (no more BJP).

2:48 PM

Latest visuals from Tikri border where farmers are protesting against farm laws

2:39 PM

Farmers' agitation will not conclude before October: Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait

2:24 PM

Sanjay Raut meets farmer leader Rakesh Tikait at Ghazipur protest site

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday reached farmers' protest site at Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border where he met Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait. The Maharashtra leader arrived at Ghazipur when security has been further tightened at the farmers' protest site, PTI reported.

 

Raut, one of the handful people wearing a face mask at the site, met Tikait and other protestors off the stage when he reached around 1 pm.

 

The way vandalism unfolded here after January 26 and an attempt made to suppress the movement and Tikait, we felt it is our responsibility to stand by the farmers' and extend support of the whole of Maharashtra, Shiv Sena and Uddhav Thackeray saahab, Raut told reporters. Ghazipur is a key farmers' protest site where thousands of protestors have converged in support of the ongoing stir against the contentious new farm laws.

2:11 PM

No problem if Opposition coming to support us but it should not be politicised: Rakesh Tikait

There's no problem if Opposition is coming to support us but it should not be politicised. We can't do anything if leaders come. The traffic movement has not been blocked by farmers, it is because of the police barricading: ANI quoted BKU leader Rakesh Tikait as saying.

1:44 PM

Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day as opposition seeks debate on farm bills

Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Tuesday without transacting substantial business as Congress and other opposition members created an uproar demanding discussion on the issue of farmers' protest over the three new farm bills. The House was first adjourned for about 40 minutes till 10:30 am, then till 11:30 am and then to 12:30 pm, PTI reported.

 

When the House re-assembled at 12:30 pm, protesting members again trooped in the Well raising slogans, forcing Deputy Chairman Harivansh to adjourn proceedings for the day. Before adjourning the House, the Deputy Chairman appealed to members to return to their seats and follow COVID-19 protocols. However, they did not heed to his requests.

 

Four bills were listed for consideration and passing in the legislative business for the day. They were: The Major Port Authorities Bill, 2020; The National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2019; The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020; and The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2020.

12:56 PM

Latest visuals from Ghazipur border where farmers are protesting against

12:23 PM

Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh chairs all-party meet over farm laws

11:34 AM

Gazipur border is closed for traffic because of farmer protests

Gazipur border is closed for traffic because of farmer protests. Please take alternate route via Anand Vihar, Chilla, DND, Apsara, Bhopra & Loni borders: Additional CP Traffic, Outer Range, Delhi

10:02 AM

Sanjay Raut to visit Singhu, Ghazipur borders to meet protesting farmers

Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut will visit Singhu and Ghazipur borders on Tuesday to meet the farmers protesting central farm laws.

 

This comes a week after the farmers' tractor rally on Republic Day turned violent in the national capital.

 

"The Maha Vikas Aghadi has taken many decisions in the interest of the farmers. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray always stood behind farmers in their tough times. The anguish and tears of the farmers are disturbing. On the instructions of party president Uddhav Thackeray, today I am going to meet agitating farmers at Singhu Border," Raut tweeted in Marathi.

9:32 AM

Twitter account blocked over criticism of farmers' stir

Alleging that the NDA government is not open to criticism, CPI(M) leader Mohammed Salim on Monday said his Twitter account was suspended during the day, after he compared the Union Budget with a trading platform, and slammed the Centre over its handling of the farmers stir.

 

Salim told reporters that his account as well those of others were blocked temporarily, "at the behest of the IT department of the Centre".

 

Twitter had blocked several accounts and tweets after the government asked the microblogging platform to take action against 250 handles and posts which contained "false and provocative content" related to the ongoing farmers' agitation, according to sources.

 

"To my knowledge, 250 twitter accounts, including mine, were blocked in the country. Accounts that shared posts with the 'farmergenocide' hashtag were targeted," he stated.