LIVE: Traffic movement normal in Delhi, no violence reported, says Police

Farmers' Chakka Jam live updates: All the roads for entering Delhi will remain open except where farmers' protest sites are already located

8:57 PM

Today's chakka jam proves that farmers across country are united against farm laws: Union

Yesterday in Parliament, Agriculture Minister insulted farmers' struggle by saying that only one state's farmers are opposing the agricultural laws. Today's nationwide Chakka Jam once again proved that farmers across the country are united against these laws: Samyukta Kisan Morcha to ANI

8:46 PM

Farmer unions condemn Tomar, thank foreign celebs for supporting protests

During talks, Tomar sahib said he was ready to make amendments to remove whatever was problematic in the laws. But yesterday, he said the laws are in interests of the farmers, which is a lie. We condemn it. We thank the international celebrities who supported our agitation: Krantikari Kisan Union leader Darshan Pal Singh to ANI.

8:40 PM

Committed to cause, farmers at Tikri Border unfazed by difficulties

Farmers sitting on protest at Tikri, at the Delhi-Haryana Border, have an unflinching resolve that difficulties cannot be a stumbling block for them, according to IANS. Speaking to IANS, Manjeet Singh, a farmer from Haryana's Fatehabad district, said, "It has been 74 days since we have been sitting on protest in this cold weather, along with our families. We hope the Modi government takes back these three 'black' farm laws," he added.

Clearly, the sentiment on the ground is that despite the extreme cold, farmers will continue to sit out in the open in pursuit of their cause. Bhatinda resident Baljinder Singh, another farmer from Bhartiya Kisan Union Ekta, told IANS, "We will definitely succeed in getting our demands accepted, despite facing a lot of difficulties such as shortage of water, suspension of internet and unavailability of trains."

Darshan Singh, belonging to the Dasonda Group and a resident of Mansa District in Punjab, said that they would face whatever problems that come their way, but would return home only when the farm laws are repealed.

8:26 PM

Chakka jam: Protests in Assam, Tripura against farm laws

Left parties and their front organisations on Saturday organised sit-in demonstrations instead of the 'chakka jam' against the three farm laws in Assam and Tripura, according to PTI. In Assam, the Communist Party of India-Marxist Central Committee member Suprakash Talukdar said that the Left parties along with the front organisations have organised sit-in protests at around 12 places across the BJP-ruled state, the PTI reported.

The protest demonstrations were held for several hours in every place expressing solidarity with the farmers and demanding immediate withdrawal of the three farm laws. "We would continue to organise different types of protests against the three farm legislations," Talukdar told the media. The Assam police subsequently arrested several hundred protesters who took part in the demonstrations. In another BJP-ruled state Tripura, the Left parties held similar protests in all 8 districts and in many sub-divisions against the the three farm laws and expressed solidarity with the farmers' agitations in Delhi and other places in the country.

8:04 PM

Farmers protest against new agri laws in UP, submit memoranda urging repeal of legislation

Farmers staged protests in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday against the Centre's three farm laws and handed over memoranda to the respective district authorities demanding its withdrawal, according to PTI. We did not participate in the chakka jam (road blockade) but handed over memoranda to the district magistrates in different districts of the state, Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson Alok Verma said, PTI reported.

Office bearers of BKU handed over memorandum to district magistrates concerning their demand, he said. According to a report, farmers associated with Bundelkhand Kisan Union held peaceful protests in all the seven districts of the region against the new agriculture laws and submitted memoranda addressed to President Ram Nath Kovind to the respective district authorities.

In Banda, farmers held a symbolic protest on the Jhansi-Mirzapur National Highway in Attara town and handed over a memorandum to the tehsil officials, ASP Mahendra Pratap Singh Chauhan said. Similar protests were held in Hamirpur, Lalitpur, Mahoba and Chitrakoot districts among others with farmers raising slogans in support of their demands, officials said.

7:51 PM

Opposition misleading farmers to regain lost ground: UP minister

Uttar Pradesh minister Sidharth Nath Singh on Saturday charged the Opposition with misleading farmers and using them to regain their lost political ground, according to PTI. In a statement, Singh alleged that the parties pretending to be championing the farmers' cause have actually been responsible for their plight since the Independence.
 

When the Modi government took over for the first time in 2014, farmers' interests were given a priority, he claimed, adding that the government expedited the implementation of projects that were pending for several decades. It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who implemented the recommendations of the Swaminathan commission and not the Congress that sat over it for years, PTI quoted Singh as saying.

Farmers are getting one and a half times of their crops' price today while procurement of seeds and fertilisers has also been made much easier for them unlike in the past when there were long queues for it and they were canecharged, Singh claimed. The minister said the PM and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath are committed to doubling the income of farmers and efforts are on to achieve this goal.

7:31 PM

Farmers' 'chakka' jam' protest draws response in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan

Protesters on Saturday blocked several key roads in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, while scattered demonstrations were held in several other states during a three-hour 'chakka jam' called by the farmer unions agitating against the Centre's new farm laws, according to PTI. Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait declared that their protest on Delhi's outskirts will continue till October 2 and an effort will be made to "connect every village" with the agitation.

Nearly 50 protesters were detained at Shaheedi Park in the national capital, amid stepped-up security by authorities which suspended internet at the protest sites of Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri as well as adjoining areas for 24 hours till Saturday night and closed entry and exit facilities at 10 prominent Delhi Metro stations for few hours. Scores of protesters were also held briefly by police in other states for blocking roads.
 

Protesters also stalled traffic on roads in parts of Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karanataka. No untoward incident was reported from anywhere.

6:53 PM

'Chakka jam' on KMP Expressway: Protest songs, tricolor and polite request to commuters

Loud rustic protest songs blared from speakers, the Tricolour fluttered atop trucks and tractors, and commuters mostly waited patiently as farmers blocked the KMP Expressway Saturday as part of their three-hour 'chakka jam' to press their demand of repealing the three new agricultural laws, according to a PTI report. The call for the nationwide chakka jam' between 12-3 pm was given by the farmer unions protesting at the Delhi borders the Centre's agricultural laws.

"I came to the stretch at 11 am. There were very few people then, but the number swelled in no time. The purpose is to peacefully do just what is instructed to us by our leaders -- block the road till 3 pm," said Mukesh Sharma, a local farmer supporting the movement to PTI. Biscuits and fruits were distributed among the protesting farmers sitting on the road. Those coming to the stretch with their vehicles were politely informed about the protest and requested to turn back. "We don't want to cause any inconvenience to the people," said Ajit Ahluwalia (29), from Haryana's Hisar.

"That's precisely the reason why the call given was for three hours only. Security forces have been blocking ours and theirs passage for so many days. We expect the 'aam aadmi' to cooperate with us for some hours at least. And the truth is they are," he said. Some vehicles, carrying people with emergency health conditions, were allowed to pass without any delay.

6:32 PM

Hyderabad farmers take out bullock cart rally as part of 'chakka jam'

Farmers protesting against the Centre's new agricultural legislations took out a bullock cart rally here on Saturday on the call given by the farmers' unions for a nationwide "chakka jam", according to IANS. The rally on the Hayathnagar national highway saw the participation of the Congress, CPI and CPI(M) workers and several other activists, carrying the Tricolour and blaring out revolutionary songs.

Congress supporters led by Malreddy Ramreddy and Anil Kumar Yadav joined the protest under the Pradesh Congress Committee. The Left parties members were seen carrying placards and party flags on the Vijayawada-Hyderabad highway as part of the protest against the Centre's farm laws. The protesters were later dispersed due to massive traffic jams at several points in the city.

6:17 PM

Govt must allocate 13% of Budget to farm sector: Bharatiya Kisan Sangh

The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), an RSS-affiliated organisation, has urged the government to allocate a 13 per cent share of the Union Budget to the agriculture sector., according to IANS. BKS national general secretary Dinesh Kulkarni told IANS that the budgetary allocation for agriculture has increased but it is still less compared to its 13 per cent share of the total GDP, IANS reported.

Kulkarni said that agriculture contributes 13 per cent to the Budget and so the government must allocate 13 per cent of total Budget to the agriculture sector. "The government said that there is an increase in allocation in the Union Budget for agriculture, but instead of that the government must increase it in percentage of the total budget. The government must allocate about 13 per cent of total Budget for the agriculture sector, which is at par with its contribution to total GDP of the country," he said, according to IANS.

Kulkarni suggested that the increased budgetary allocation can also be used for agricultural research and education which has almost came to standstill due to lack of funds. "Shortage of funds has taken a toll on agricultural research and education," he said, adding that by infusing more funds the government can put agriculture research and education back on track. Kulkarni further stated that five to six per cent of this 13 per cent of total budget allocation must be used for research and education.

5:54 PM

Farmers demanding rollback of farm laws will stay put till Oct 2: Rakesh Tikait

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait says protesters demanding rollback of contentious agri-marketing laws on Delhi's outskirts will stay put till October 2, according to PTI

5:46 PM

Tamil Nadu farmers stage protests, support 'chakka jam'

Farmers staged protests here and in other parts of Tamil Nadu on Saturday demanding repeal of the farm laws in solidarity with the ryots' nationwide 'chakka jam', according to PTI. Leading an agitation here by raising slogans against the Centre and farm laws, president, coordination committee of Tamil Nadu All Farmers' Association, P R Pandian said the protest was for seeking justice, PTI reported.

The protests in Tamil Nadu was part of the pan India stir and "this is for seeking justice for farmers, this is not for political purposes or to inconvenience the general public," Pandian told reporters. Urging scrapping of farm laws, he alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi worked for the interests of corporates and his government barred farmers from entering Delhi.
 

"If PM Modi does not permit ryots to enter Delhi, farmers would not allow him to visit Tamil Nadu," he said. Reportedly, PM Modi would visit the state later this month to inaugurate several projects and he is also likely to address a poll rally. Pandian said the farmers protest including today's 'chakka jam' is for "fair reasons while the Centre only favoured corporates and not farmers."

5:18 PM

Chakka Jam: Farmer groups stage protest on Jammu-Pathankot highway

Farmer organisations on Saturday staged a protest on the Jammu-Pathankot Highway as a part of the nationwide 'Chakka Jam' called by farmers, according to PTI. "We demand implementation of Swaminathan report and guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) as well as repealing the farm laws," said Kulwant Singh, member of Jammu Kashmir Kisaan Vikaas Front, PTI reported.
 

The protestors blocked the Jammu-Pathankot highway which affected the traffic movement. The agitating farmers held 'Chakka Jam' across the country from 12 noon to 3 pm on Saturday.

4:59 PM

Maharashtra: Farmers stage 'rasta roko' in Karad; 40 detained

A 'rasta roko' was staged in Karad city in Satara district of Maharashtra on Saturday as part of the 'chakka jam' protest called by farmer bodies agitating at borders of New Delhi against the three new farm laws, according to PTI. At least 40 protesters, including senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan's wifeSatvasheela Chavan and farmers, were detained by the police for holding the protest on a busy road at Kolhapur Naka in Karad in western Maharashtra this afternoon, PTI reported quoting police official.

They were detained under sections 68 and 69 of the Mumbai Police Act and released, he said. As per farmer unions, the 'chakka jam' includes blocking national and state highways between 12 noon and 3 pm o protest the internet ban in areas near their agitation sites, harassment allegedly meted out to them by authorities, and other issues.

4:37 PM

Chakka jam: Protesters blocked Ambala-Chandigarh Highway in Mohali

4:34 PM

Chakka jam: Security was tightened in wake of Jan 26 violence, says Delhi Police

'Chakka Jaam' call wasn't for Delhi but in wake of Jan 26 violence, we'd made heavy security arrangements. Security was further tightened at Delhi's border areas where farmers are gathered in large numbers. Security forces still deployed there. Wherever we had inputs that some groups or people can execute some incidents (during Chakka Jam), preventive detentions were made in public interest. Some people had reached Shaheedi Park. They were removed from the road so that traffic movement could resume: Chinmoy Biswal, Delhi Police PRO to ANI. 

4:09 PM

Chakka jam: Farmers gather at Ludhiana-Ferozepur highway

4:05 PM

Internet to remain suspended in Singhu, Ghazipur, Tikri till midnight

Internet services to remain suspended in Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri, and their adjoining areas till 11:59 pm today "in the interest of maintaining public safety and averting public emergency", according to ANI.

3:53 PM

RSS leader targets Tomar over farmers' stir against agri laws

In an apparent attack on Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar over the farmers' protest against three farm laws, senior RSS leader Raghunandan Sharma has said the arrogance of power has gone to his head, according to a PTI report. Sharma, a former BJP Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh, in his Facebook post written two days back, also suggested to the minister that he should work towards strengthening nationalism.

In his social media post that starts with the line, "Narendraji, you are part and parcel of the government", Sharma said, "Your intention might be of helping the farmers, but if some people don't want to be helped, what is the use of doing such good?," "If someone wants to remain naked, what is the use of forcibly clothing him," he said.

"If you are harbouring a thought that you are reaping the fruits of your hard labour, it is your illusion," the 73- year-old RSS leader said in the post. "...Today arrogance of power has gone to your head. Why are you losing the mandate? We are endorsing all rotten policies of the Congress which is not in our interest. Leakage in drops of water from a pitcher empties it. So is with the mandate," he said.

3:32 PM

Govt has time till Oct 2 to repeal farm laws, won't hold discussions under pressure: Tikait

3:31 PM

Baghel slams Centre over barricardes at protest sites, likens it to tactics used by 'dacoits'

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel slams govt over multi-layer barricades at farmer protest sites, likens it to tactics used by 'dacoits' in past, according to PTI. CM Bhupesh Baghel, as per PTI, further said that Central govt internationalised farmers' issue and should not have reacted to tweets by international celebrities. "If central govt does not resolve farmers' issue soon, agitation will spread across country," said Baghel to PTI

3:25 PM

Chakka jam: Have requested farmers to allow smooth flow of traffic, says Karnataka home minister

We are in touch with farm leaders & have requested for smooth traffic flow. 'Chakka Jaam' will be for a limited time, so we will see there is no traffic hazard anywhere. Neither farmers nor commuters should be affected: Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraja Bommaih

3:02 PM

Digvijaya Singh appeals to all protesting farmers to join 'chakka jam'

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday appealed to all those protesting against the farm laws to come to the streets and join today's "chakka jam" called by the farmer unions, according to PTI. Farmers are protesting against the newly enacted farm laws for over two months at various borders of the national capital.

"I appeal to all those protesting against farm laws to come to the streets and join today's 'dharna' between 12 pm and 3 pm," said Singh in Gwalior as per PTI report. The Congress had extended support to the nationwide 'Chakka jam' protest by farmers on Friday. The party's General Secretary KC Venugopal said in a statement that party workers will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with farmers in their protest against the new farm laws. Earlier today, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also extended support to the agitating farmers and said the new agriculture laws are not only dangerous for them, but for the whole country.

2:49 PM

Protesters block roads in Punjab as part of 'Chakka jam' call given by farmers

2:43 PM

50 detained in Delhi for staging protest in support of farmers

Around 50 people were detained near Shaheedi Park in central Delhi on Saturday for allegedly holding a protest in support of the 'chakka jam' call given by the farmers agitating against the Centre's new agri laws, PTI quoted police saying. Farmer unions had on Monday announced a countrywide 'chakka jam' on February 6 during which they would block national and state highways between 12 noon and 3 pm to protest the Internet ban in areas near their agitation sites, harassment allegedly meted out to them by authorities, and other issues.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of the farmer unions protesting the three farm laws, said on Friday the protesters will not block roads in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the 'chakka jam', even as it asserted that peasants in other parts of the country will block national and state highways for three hours between 12 noon and 3 pm, but in a peaceful way.

2:38 PM

Centre should accept protesting farmers' demands: Sisodia

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday said the BJP-led government at the Centre should accept the demands of the farmers protesting against the three new agriculture laws, according to PTI copy. He alleged that the ruling BJP has brought these laws for the benefit of some corporates by ignoring the interests of farmers. Sisodia is in Ahmedabad to hold a road-show ahead of the municipal corporation elections.

His statements come amid the nationwide 'chakka jam' protest being held on Saturday by the farmers protesting the farm laws. "There is high alert in Delhi, but one can understand the pain of farmers across the country. I have seen that farmers from Gujarat also went to Delhi to present their points (on farm laws)," he said. "The main issue is why did the BJP bring the laws to benefit select corporates by setting aside the interest of farmers? And if the BJP thinks that the laws are in the interest of farmers, and they understand them better, then why doesn't it accept the farmers' demands?...It should accept their demands," he said. Asked whether the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supports the agitation by farmers, he said that his party supports all the lawful activities.

2:28 PM

Centre harassing farmers, how a democratic govt can act like this: KC Venugopal

2:25 PM

Chakka jam: Security Forces including Rapid Action Force deployed at Ghazipur border

2:08 PM

Chakka jam: Telangana Police remove protesters agitating on highway against farm laws

1:54 PM

Chakka jam: Delhi Police detain protesters in Sahidi Park protesting against farm laws