Highlights of the day: Farmers say won't march to Delhi for 2 days

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

9:13 PM

We condemn atrocities carried out by Haryana Police on protesting farmers: Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher

"We condemn the atrocities carried out by Haryana Police on protesting farmers at Khanauri and Shambhu borders. Many of our farmers have suffered injuries and several are missing. In view of the situation, we have decided to halt our ‘Delhi Chalo’ march for the next two days. In these two days, we will meet the families of injured and missing farmers and will decide on our future course of action,” said Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee head Sarwan Singh Pandher.

8:02 PM

Haryana Police Sub-Inspector passes away while on duty at Tohana Border

Vijay Kumar, Sub-Inspector in Haryana Police, who was posted at the Tohana border following the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march, passed away after his health deteriorated on Wednesday.

According to Haryana police, the Sub-Inspector Kumar's health suddenly deteriorated while on duty at the Tohana border.

 

"Sub Inspector Vijay Kumar died late evening. Vijay Kumar was posted at the Tohana border during the farmers' movement. His health suddenly deteriorated while on duty. The Director General of Police expressed grief," posted Haryana police on X.

8:02 PM

"Wouldn't back down": Farmer leader Tikait says protests to continue but holds out dialogue hope

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, who heads the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU), on Wednesday said the ongoing protests on Delhi borders will continue till all the demands that they have put forward are met.

However, he held out hope of a breakthrough saying that all disputes or issues of contention could be resolved through dialogue.

 

Speaking to media persons on Wednesday, the farmer leader, who was at the forefront of the previous long-haul protest against the agricultural laws, informed that the Samyukt Kisan Morcha will meet on Thursday to decide the future course of the agitation.

 

8:00 PM

Farmers say won't march to Delhi for 2 days

A farmer has died at Haryana's Khanauri border, where protesting farmers clashed with the police this evening. Farmers' group AIKS (All-India Kisan Sabha) alleged he died during the police action. A doctor at a Patiala hospital where he was taken, said he had sustained a bullet wound. A post-mortem is awaited.
 

"Three patients came to us from Khanauri. One of them was dead on arrival, the other two are stable and seem to have sustained bullet injuries on head and thigh respectively, but it can't be confirmed," said Dr Rekhi, the senior medical officer of Patiala's Rajendra Hospital.

 

"The person who was dead on arrival had a bullet injury on his head, but more details such as size of the bullet, can only be confirmed after postmortem," he added.

7:56 PM

Farmers on tractors hold protest in Uttarakhand's Rudrapur

Farmers on tractors held a dharna in front of the district collectorate in this Uttarakhand city on Wednesday in support of their various demands. The protest comes at a time when thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, have been camping at the Punjab-Haryana border in support of various demands, including a legal guarantee on minimum support price for crops, pension for farmers and farm labourers and farm loan waiver. The farmers in Rudrapur reached the collectorate on tractors, shouting slogans as they passed through the streets. They were stopped by the police outside the collectorate, which was heavily barricaded. The farmers sat on a dharna in front of the collectorate gate and raised their demands. Lakhs of farmers in the country have been agitating for a long time for their just demands but the Centre has been misleading them by giving false assurances, the farmers said.

7:22 PM

Farmer killed as police fire tear gas to disperse protesters at Punjab-Haryana border

A farmer was killed and a few others injured on the Punjab-Haryana border as protesters resumed their 'Delhi Chalo' agitation, with Haryana Police firing tear gas shells to thwart attempts to breach barricades at Shambhu and Khanauri.

 

Farmer leaders had rejected a proposal made by the government in the fourth round of talks between the two sides to break the deadlock and announced that thousands of Punjab farmers camping at these two border points would resume their agitation on Wednesday morning.

 

Earlier in the day, Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, who is among the three Union ministers engaging with the farmer leaders, called for further talks and appealed to the protesters to maintain peace.

 

Farmer leader Baldev Singh Sirsa identified the victim as Subhkaran Singh (21), who died at Khanauri on the Sangrur-Jind border. Singh was a resident of Baloke village in Punjab's Bathinda district, he said.

5:59 PM

Car jam on Delhi-Gurugram border throw commuters in disarray

Commuters taking the expressway witnessed huge traffic jams at Delhi-Gurugram border Wednesday morning due to barricading by the Delhi Police to stop farmers from marching to the national capital. The Delhi Police became alert again in view of the farmers' protest in Manesar on Tuesday and their proposed march to Delhi.

 

Police checked the ID cards of the drivers and then only allowed them to go further. That, and closing of the service lanes near Rajokri, caused a glut of vehicles on the expressway.

5:59 PM

Centre should accept protesting farmers' demands: Congress members in Haryana Assembly

The Haryana Assembly should pass a resolution urging the Centre to accept the protesting farmers' various demands, including a legal guarantee on crop MSP, the opposition Congress said on Wednesday. During a debate on the Governor's Address, senior Congress MLA Raghuvir Singh Kadian said, "Farmers are the backbone of the country. After the farm laws were repealed, they were given some assurances by the Centre but these have not been fulfilled."

 

Referring to the protesting farmers camping on the Shambhu and the Khanauri border points of the Punjab-Haryana border, he said the Centre should accept their demands and give a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.

5:38 PM

"Not possible to hold discussions in such environment," says farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher

"We did not send any youth at the front, instead leaders themselves went peacefully. The way they attacked us (with tear gas shells), everyone saw that. We have never refused for talks, but it is not possible to hold discussions in such environment," said farmers' leader Sarwan Singh Pandher at the Shambhu border, where protesting farmers have been stopped by security forces from marching towards Delhi.

 

Union Minister Arjun Munda on Wednesday said that the government invites farmers for fifth round of talks and is ready to discuss all issues like the MSP demand, crop diversification, stubble issue.

5:20 PM

Centre should accept farmers' demands: Cong members in Haryana Assembly

The opposition Congress said on Wednesday that the Haryana Assembly should pass a resolution urging the central government to accept the protesting farmers' various demands, including a legal guarantee on crop MSP. Congress MLA Raghuvir Singh Kadian said, "Farmers are the backbone of the country. After the farm laws were repealed, they were given some assurances by the Centre but these have not been fulfilled."

 

 The opposition Congress said on Wednesday that the Haryana Assembly should pass a resolution urging the central government to accept the protesting farmers' various demands, including a legal guarantee on crop MSP.

5:18 PM

Farmers' news update: Jhajjar Police take out flag march in Haryana's Bahadurgarh

3:59 PM

No farmer has died today during farmers' protest, says Haryana Police

"According to the information received so far, no farmer has died today. This is just a rumour. There is information about two policemen and one protestor being injured at Data Singh-Khanori border," says Haryana Police on farmers' protest.

3:58 PM

We are with them, says Cong chief Mallikarjun Kharge on farmers' protest

"We are supporting them (farmers). We are saying openly that their reasonable demands should be fulfilled. We are going to say this in our election manifesto also that a legal guarantee will be given. All crops cannot be covered but the essential crops should be done (providing MSP)," Mallikarjun Kharge said.

3:11 PM

Farmers' protest LIVE updates: Tear gas shells fired in Sangrur district

Security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse protesting farmers at Khanauri border in Sangrur district of Punjab. 

2:56 PM

'Delhi chalo' protest march news: Commuters face massive traffic jams on Delhi-Gurugram roads

After agitating farmers announced their plans to continue their 'Delhi Chalo' agitation, commuters between Delhi and Gurugram have been facing massive traffic jams today. Cops in Delhi, along with their counterpart in Gurugram, have made arrangements to prevent the farmers from entering the national capital by putting up road blockades at different borders. The move led to traffic chaos at places like Rajokri border, Sarhol border, Delhi-Gurugram Highway (NH-48) and Delhi-Bahadurgarh Highway during the official hours from 7:00 am to almost 11:00 am.

2:07 PM

After reports of 14,000 people, 1,200 tractors on Delhi borders, MHA asks Punjab govt to maintain order

The advisory was issued as the farmers were set to resume their Delhi march after they rejected the Centre's proposal to buy pulses, maize and cotton crops through government agencies at Minimum Support Price (MSP) for five years. The Ministry raised strong  concern about the deteriorating law-and-order situation in the state.

1:57 PM

News update: SKM to hold a crucial meeting with farmers from across the nation, says BKU leader Rakesh Tikait

Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Leader Rakesh Tikait today said that a crucial meeting of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) is set for Thursday, where farmers from across the country will decide the future course of the agitation.

 

Tikait has declared that a memorandum outlining crucial demands of the farmers will be submitted to both the state and central governments.

 

"The key issues of the farmers are MSP guarantee, the electricity amendment bill and the implementation of Swaminathan committee report. If there is no guarantee on MSP, farmers of the whole country will face problems," Tikait said.

1:54 PM

Narendra Modi government has done "so much work" for farmers: BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad

The BJP today appealed to farmers to arrive at a solution "peacefully". Addressing a press conference at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters here, senior party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Narendra Modi government has done "so much work" for farmers.

11:56 AM

I invite all farmer leaders for another round of talks, We need to maintain peace: Agriculture minister

"After four rounds of talks, the government is ready for the fifth round of discussions on all issues like MSP, diversification of crops, stubble burning and pending cases. I invite all the farmer leaders for another round of talks. We need to maintain peace," Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda said today.

11:48 AM

'Delhi chalo' news update: Haryana cops ask protesting farmers to not use tractor trolleys

Cops in Haryana have asked  protesting farmers to not use tractor trolleys during their march from Punjab-Haryana border to the national capital.

11:34 AM

LIVE news: Security amped up in Delhi, borders ahead of farmers' march

Cops in Delhi have amped up security in the national capital on Wednesday and directed its personnel to ensure strict vigil at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur borders after protesting farmers said they were set to continue their 'Delhi Chalo' agitation.

11:30 AM

News update: Government invites farmers for fifth round of discussions

Union Minister Arjun Munda today said that the Centre has invited farmers for the fifth round of talks and is ready to discuss all issues raised by the farmers.

11:20 AM

LIVE news: Tear gas shells fired at Punjab-Haryana's Shambu border ahead of farmers' Delhi march

Tear gas shells were fired by Haryana police personnel after some young farmers were heading towards the multi-layered barricades at the Shambhu border point at Punjab and Haryana on Wednesday. After Haryana police lobbed tear gas canisters at around 11:00 am, young farmers ran for cover, news agency PTI reported.

11:09 AM

News update: Agitating farmers at two border points of Punjab-Haryana to resume 'Delhi chalo' march

Farmers protesting at two border points between Punjab and Haryana will resume their "Delhi chalo" march today after they rejected the Centre's proposal for procuring pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP by government agencies for five years. Thousands of farmers, who began their march to Delhi on February 13, were stopped at the Haryana border. The farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri points between Punjab and Haryana since then.

10:18 AM

Farmers' protest LIVE updates: "Should find solution together", says Union minister Arjun Munda

Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda on Tuesday appealed to the farmers and the farmers' organisations that are connected with the protest to maintain peace.

 

"I would appeal to the farmers and the farmers organisations which are connected with this (protest) to maintain peace. We have to take it forward from discussion to solutions. We must keep discussing this issue. We all want peace, and we should together find a solution to this issue," he said.

 

"We tried to discuss the government's side and several proposals were also discussed. We have come to know that they (farmers) are not satisfied with the proposals but this discussion should continue and we must find a solution peacefully," the Union Minister added.

9:50 AM

News update: Seize earthmoving equipment from farmers' protest sites, says Haryana DGP to Punjab cops

Haryana Police urged its Punjab counterparts to seize bulldozers and other earthmoving equipment from the interstate border which they say protesters will use to break barricades. These could pose a threat to the security forces deployed at the border, Haryana Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapoor said in an urgent communication to his Punjab counterpart Gaurav Yadav.

 

9:44 AM

Farmers' protest LIVE news: 14,000 people, 1,200 tractors, 300 cars at Punjab-Haryana border

According to estimates by the central government, 14,000 people have gathered along the Punjab-Haryana border with 1,200 tractor-trolleys, 300 cars, 10 mini-buses as well as small vehicles. The Union Home Ministry  told the Punjab government that the deteriorating law-and-order situation in the state has been a matter of concern over the last few days and asked it to take stringent action against lawbreakers.

9:25 AM

LIVE news: Intention is not to disturb peace, will march peacefully, says farmer leader Dallewal

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal on Wednesday said protesting farmers, who have been camping at two border points between Punjab and Haryana after they were stopped by security personnel, will march towards Delhi in a peaceful manner.

"Our intention is not to disturb peace," Dallewal said ahead of the farmers' plan to march towards the national capital.