Highlights of the day: Security up at Delhi borders ahead of farmers' march

Farmers' protest march updates: Catch all the latest updates on the farmers' protest here

The Delhi Police directed security personnel deployed at the city's Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur border points to stay alert and conducted mock drills on Tuesday, a day ahead of protesting farmer's proposed march towards the national capital. The move came a day after the protesting farmers rejected the Centre's proposal to buy pulses, maize and cotton crops through government agencies at minimum support price (MSP) for five years, and announced to continue with their 'Delhi Chalo' agitation on Wednesday. In the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders on Sunday, a panel of three Union ministers proposed that government agencies would buy pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers. Farmer leaders refused the proposal, saying it was not in favour of farmers.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday said the Centre should convene a daylong Parliament session to bring a legislation on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, a key demand of protesting farmers. He also asked the Centre to accept the other main demands of the farmers, including farm loan waiver. Pandher's statement came a day after the farmer leaders taking part in the "Delhi Chalo" agitation rejected the BJP-led Centre's proposal for procuring pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in favour of farmers. In the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders on Sunday, a panel of three Union ministers proposed that government agencies would buy pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the "Delhi Chalo" march.

In a post in Hindi on X,  Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that ever since the Congress resolved to provide legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), "Modi's propaganda machinery and media friendly to him have spread a barrage of lies on MSP".

"Lie -- It is not feasible to provide legal guarantee for MSP in the budget of the government of India. Fact -- According to CRISIL, giving MSP to farmers in 2022-23 would have resulted in an additional burden of Rs 21,000 crore on the government, which is only 0.4 per cent of the total budget," Rahul Gandhi said in his post.

Farmers participating in the 'Delhi Chalo' protests on Monday rejected the central government's proposal of procuring five crops at MSP, saying it wasn't in farmers' interest and announced that they will march towards Delhi on February 21. Earlier, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which led the 2020-21 farmers' stir, rejected the Centre's offer. The three Union ministers suggested buying of pulses, maize and cotton crops by government agencies at minimum support price (MSP) for five years in the fourth round of talks with farmer leaders on Sunday. Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a leader of SKM (Non-Political) that is leading the 'Delhi Chalo' march along with the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, said, "After holding a discussion in our two forums, it has been decided that the Centre's proposal is not in the interest of farmers and we reject this proposal."

When asked if their call for the march to Delhi still stands, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said, "We will move to Delhi peacefully at 11 am on February 21."

"We appeal to the government that either resolve our issues or remove barricades and allow us to proceed to Delhi to protest peacefully," he said.

 Farmers have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri points on Punjab's border with Haryana after their 'Delhi Chalo' march to press the Centre for various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, was stopped by security forces which led to clashes last week.

The demands of the farmers include the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.

8:38 PM

CM Mann jeopardised Centre-farmer union talks, says Punjab BJP chief

Farmers Protest Live News: Blaming Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for the failure of talks, state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday said it was most unfortunate that negotiations between the farmers and the central government have not fructified.

 

“With Bhagwant Mann himself, of all the people, acting as the lawyer for the farmers, these negotiations were destined to fail because CM Mann had everything to gain from the failure of these talks,” Jakhar wrote on X.

 

“Not only would he now be able to show the central government in bad light but also redirect those farmers also to Delhi who had initially wanted to march to Chandigarh.

8:36 PM

Earlier today, hundreds of farmers were detained in Gurugram

Hundreds of farmers were detained from the Manesar area in Gurugram on Tuesday when they tried to march to Delhi in solidarity with the ongoing 'Delhi Chalo' agitation.The Dakshin Haryana Kisan Khap, SKM and others on Sunday, had announced that they would carry out a peaceful march towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence and if the police stop them on the way, they would sit there and stage a dharna peacefully.

8:36 PM

Day ahead of farmers' march, police beef up security at Delhi borders

The Delhi Police directed security personnel deployed at the city's Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur border points to stay alert and conducted mock drills on Tuesday, a day ahead of protesting farmer's proposed march towards the national capital.

 

The move came a day after the protesting farmers rejected the Centre's proposal to buy pulses, maize and cotton crops through government agencies at minimum support price (MSP) for five years, and announced to continue with their 'Delhi Chalo' agitation on Wednesday.

 

In the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders on Sunday, a panel of three Union ministers proposed that government agencies would buy pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers. Farmer leaders refused the proposal, saying it was not in favour of farmers.

6:24 PM

Mann responsible for breakdown of talks with farmers, says Akali Dal

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday held Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann responsible for the breakdown of talks between farmer unions and the Centre, stating the Chief Minister’s double talk during negotiations had failed the farming community and forced them on the path of agitation.Senior SAD leader Prem Singh Chandumajra also appealed to the central government not to try to muzzle the peaceful protest of farmers, adding “in a democracy, peaceful protest is a fundamental right and farmers should be allowed to peacefully proceed to Delhi”.

6:23 PM

Farmers bring heavy machinery including hydraulic cranes and earth movers to Shambhu on Punjab-Haryana border

Protesting farmers bring heavy machinery including hydraulic cranes and earth movers to Shambhu on the Punjab-Haryana border.

5:47 PM

Convene daylong Parliament session to bring law on MSP: Farmer leader

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday said the Centre should convene a daylong Parliament session to bring a legislation on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, a key demand of protesting farmers.

 

He also asked the Centre to accept the other main demands of the farmers, including farm loan waiver.

 

Pandher's statement came a day after the farmer leaders taking part in the "Delhi Chalo" agitation rejected the BJP-led Centre's proposal for procuring pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in favour of farmers.

 

In the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders on Sunday, a panel of three Union ministers proposed that government agencies would buy pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers.

 

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the "Delhi Chalo" march.

5:06 PM

Farmers' protest news update: Farmers rejected offer as they understood govt's mischief, says Congress

The Congress today stated that protesting farmers have rejected another "false offer" as they have understood the government's "mischief" and asserted it is committed to providing legal guarantee of the MSP and take other necessary steps to provide justice to the tillers. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi  claimed that "lies" are being spread that the MSP guarantee is not feasible under the government's budget.

 

In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi claimed that ever since the Congress resolved to provide legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP), "Modi's propaganda machinery and media friendly to him have spread a barrage of lies on MSP".

5:04 PM

CM Mann 'succeeded' in jeopardising efforts of farmers, Centre for resolution, says Punjab BJP chief

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has jeopardised the efforts of both farmer leaders and Union ministers at arriving at a solution, state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar alleged on Tuesday. "With Bhagwant Mann himself -- of all the people -- acting as the lawyer for the farmers, these negotiations were destined to fail because CM Mann had everything to gain from the failures of these talks," he said in a post on X.

 

It is "most unfortunate" that the negotiations between farmers and the central government have not fructified, Jakhar said 

3:42 PM

News update: Haryana govt is dedicated to farmers' welfare, says Governor Dattatreya

Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya today stated that the state government deeply values the hard work of the farmers and is steadfastly dedicated to their welfare.

3:41 PM

Centre should accept farmer's demands: Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher today said that the central government accept their demands, including a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm loan waiver, and said they will head to Delhi on Wednesday. This comes a day after the farmer leaders  rejected the Centre's proposal for procuring pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in favour of farmers.

1:05 PM

Farmers' protest LIVE updates: Farmers continue their protest at Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border

1:02 PM

LIVE news: Ex-Punjab CM Amarinder Singh meets PM Modi, discusses farmers' issues

Former Punjab chief minister  Amarinder Singh on Tuesday stated that he had met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss various issues concerning farmers. In a post on X, Singh stated, "Had a detailed meeting with Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji on wide-ranging issues related to Punjab, including the issues concerning the farmers."

11:22 AM

News update: Guarantee for MSP will make farmers drivers of growth, says Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

In a post in Hindi on X,  Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stated that ever since the Congress resolved to provide legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), "Modi's propaganda machinery and media friendly to him have spread a barrage of lies on MSP".

"Lie -- It is not feasible to provide legal guarantee for MSP in the budget of the government of India. Fact -- According to CRISIL, giving MSP to farmers in 2022-23 would have resulted in an additional burden of Rs 21,000 crore on the government, which is only 0.4 per cent of the total budget," Gandhi said in his post.

9:41 AM

Farmers' protest news update: Farmer leaders reject govt proposal on MSP

Farmers leaders on Monday rejected the Central government's proposal of buying pulses, maize and cotton at MSP by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in farmers' interest.  Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said, "After holding discussion (on the Centre's proposal) in our two forums, it has been decided that the Centre's proposal is not in the interest of farmers and we reject this proposal."

9:24 AM

News update: Protesting Noida farmers warn of Delhi march again on Friday

Farmers' groups in Noida and Greater Noida today stated they will march to Delhi on February 23 to press for the resolution of their issues, including developed plots and increased compensation for their land acquired in the past, news agency PTI reported.