Farmer Protest

Farmers' protest: Traffic resumes at Shambhu border, Khanauri set to open

A day after Punjab Police detained protesting farmers and demolished their temporary structures, traffic resumed on the Shambhu-Ambala Highway on Thursday after more than a year, and Khanauri border point is also set to open, with Haryana Police removing roadblocks on their side of the road. The road clearance exercise continued even as angry farmers held protests at several places in Punjab including Moga, Tarn Taran, Muktsar and Faridkot against the last evening crackdown on the protesters. A group of farmers, including women, entered into a scuffle with police personnel in Moga while on their way to hold a protest outside the deputy commissioner's office. Meanwhile, in a statement issued in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party reaffirmed its support to farmers but emphasised the urgent need to reopen key roads to protect Punjab's economy. The protesting farmers lashed out at the AAP government for detaining their leaders and removing protesters from the Shambhu and Khanauri border points,

SKM slams Punjab CM for police action on farmers before Chandigarh protest

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Tuesday slammed the Punjab government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann after several farmer leaders were detained or put under house arrest in early morning raids at their residences by the state police a day ahead of their planned protest in Chandigarh. In a statement, the SKM said they had a meeting with Mann on Monday. However, instead of listening to the farmers and their demands, the chief minister asked them to call off the protest, it said. Though the SKM leaders explained the importance of the protracted mass protest against the Union government for farmers' rights, the chief minister got provoked and quit the meeting, it said. Condemning the action, the SKM appealed to the farmers across Punjab to join the week-long protests at Chandigarh and organise widespread campaigns in the villages. "The SKM strongly protests against the dictatorial step by the Bhagwant Singh Mann government of Punjab to suppress the democratic rights of farmer

'Punjab becoming a state of dharna', says CM Mann amid protest tensions

Midnight raids spark outrage as Punjab CM Mann says, 'Punjab is becoming a state of dharna' defending police action ahead of farmers' 'Chandigarh Chalo' protest

MSP logjam: Govt, farmers resume talks after a year, next round on Feb 22

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi met a section of farmers in Chandigarh

Won't end indefinite fast till farmers' demands accepted, says Dallewal

Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal on Tuesday maintained that he would not end his fast-unto-death till the Centre accepts farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee to minimum support price for crops. Briefing the media at the Khanauri protest site, Dallewal said the whole country needs MSP. "Punjab also needs MSP to save its underground water level," he said. After a high-level delegation of the central government invited the protesting farmers on January 18 for a meeting on February 14 in Chandigarh to discuss their demands, Dallewal started taking medical aid though he did not end his fast. Dallewal, who is the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), has been on the indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point since November 26 last year in support of various demands, including a legal guarantee to minimum support price for crops. Thanking farmers and labourers for supporting the ongoing agitation, the farmer leader further said he took medic

101 farmers to resume Delhi march from Shambhu border on Jan 21: Pandher

A group of 101 farmers will resume on January 21 their march to Delhi from the Shambhu border point to press the government to accept their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said on Thursday. The "jatha" (group) of 101 farmers earlier made three attempts to head towards Delhi on foot on December 6, December 8 and December 14, last year at the Shambhu border. They were not allowed to proceed by security personnel in Haryana. The fresh move of protesting farmers came a day after a group of 111 farmers began a fast-unto-death on the Haryana side of the border near Khanauri in solidarity with fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose fast-unto-death entered its 52nd day on Thursday. Speaking to reporters at the Shambhu border point between Punjab and Haryana on Thursday, Pandher, who is the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader, slammed the central government for not accepting the demands of farmers who have been

SKM calls for R-Day tractor marches, urges PM Modi to address farmer issues

Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday called for tractor marches across the country on January 26 and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi hold discussions with farmers over their pending demands. The SKM's call comes amid growing concerns over the health of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on an indefinite fast for 48 days. Dallewal, the convener of SKM (Non-Political), has been on the indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 last year over farmers' various demands including a legal guarantee to Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. In a statement issued here, the SKM also announced that a meeting with SKM (Non-political) and KMM will be held on Monday for a joint struggle over demands, including MSP and the scrapping of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing (NPFAM). "SKM called upon farmers to conduct Tractor/Vehicle/Motorcycle Parades on 26th January 2025, the 76th Republic Day, at

Ask PM Modi to talk to farmers instead of giving sermons: Atishi to BJP

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Thursday lashed out at the BJP, saying the party should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold talks with the farmers sitting on fast unto death in Punjab instead of giving sermons. Responding to a letter written to her by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, she said the condition of farmers was never as bad as it is under the BJP regime. "The BJP talking about the farmers is like Dawood Ibrahim sermonising about non-violence," Atishi said in her letter asking the BJP to stop politics over the farmers. Chouhan in his letter to the chief minister earlier on Wednesday charged that the AAP government never paid attention to the problems of farmers in Delhi. "The farmers are sitting on fast unto death in Punjab," said Atishi and advised Chouhan to ask Prime Minister Modi to hold talks with them. The farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border .

Chouhan pledges support for farmers, Dallewal calls for kisan mahapanchayat

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said that the Central government will make all possible efforts to empower farmers. Chouhan was addressing a 'Kisan Susamvad programme organised by Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) Krsihi Vijyan Kendra here. "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, various schemes are being implemented to empower farmers and make them capable," he said. He said panchanamas of crops will be done using a satellite system at the panchayat and village levels so that the process is accurate and farmers will receive compensation by direct benefit transfer immediately. Chouhan assured that fertilisers are being made available to farmers at reasonable rates, and the government is positive about offering the right price and market for exportable produce. "Nashik district has a large number of grape cultivators. A meeting will be organised to discuss the issue of making foreign grape varieties available to farmers

Why can't Centre say it will consider grievances of farmers: SC asks Govt

The farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab-Haryana since February 13, 2024

'No order to end Jagjit Dallewal's fast, only concerned about health': SC

The Supreme Court told the Punjab government that officials and certain farmer leaders are making irresponsible statements about the farmers' protests, which are complicating the situation

Dallewal will take medical aid if Centre invites for talks: Punjab to SC

The top court gives Punjab government three more days to persuade farmer leader Dallewal, who is on hunger strike since November 26, to accept medical help

Punjab bandh call: Farmers block roads at many places, traffic hit

Farmers blocked roads at many places across the state on Monday as part of their Punjab bandh call, hamstringing the commuter traffic. A call for a shutdown was given last week by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha over the Centre not accepting the demands of protesting farmers. The bandh will be observed from 7 am to 4 pm. Farmers observed a sit-in at Dhareri Jattan Toll Plaza which affected vehicular movement on the Patiala-Chandigarh National Highway. At Amritsar's Golden Gate, farmers started to assemble near the city's entry point while in Bathinda's Rampura Phul, they blocked roads. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Sunday said though there will be a complete bandh, emergency services will be allowed to operate. "The bandh will be observed from 7 am to 4 pm. However, emergency services will remain operational. Anyone travelling to the airport to catch a flight or anyone going to attend a job interview, or anyone needs to attend a wedding... a

Punjab govt must persuade fasting farmer leader Dallewal by Dec 31: SC

The Supreme Court on Saturday gave the Punjab government time till December 31 to persuade farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been fasting for over a month, to shift to hospital. In an unprecedented hearing, a vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan pulled up the Punjab government for allowing the situation to escalate and not complying with its earlier directions to provide medical assistance to Dallewal. Expressing helplessness, the Punjab government said it is facing huge resistance from protesting farmers who have encircled Dallewal and are preventing him from being taken to hospital. Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh told the bench that a team of experts visited the protest site and tried to persuade Dallewal to shift to hospital and take medical help. "He (Dallewal) has refused any kind of medical aid, including (IV) drips, saying that it will undermine the cause of movement," he said. This infuriated the bench which blamed the Punjab governmen

Give up stubbornness, talk to protesting farmers: Punjab CM Mann to Centre

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday urged the Centre to give up its "stubbornness" and hold talks with farmers who are protesting at the state's border over various issues, including a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. Farmers led by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces. Farmer leader from Punjab Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on a hunger strike at the Khanauri border since November 26 to put pressure on the Centre to accept the farmers' demands. As his fast entered the 27th day on Sunday, doctors termed his health condition "critical". In a post on X, Mann said the central government should give up its "stubbornness" and open the way for talks with the farmer organisations. "If Modi ji can stop the war between Russia and Ukraine, then can't he talk to the farmers

Farmers' group to proceed 'peacefully' towards Delhi, says Sarwan Singh

Farmer leader Pandher stated that the government must arrange a talk if it is serious about resolving the matter

'Either halt farmers' agitation or relocate it from highways': SC to panel

The SC urged peaceful protests, prioritised farmer leader Dallewal's health, and directed a panel to mediate with farmers to consider halting highway blockades

SC rejects plea to remove road blockades from farmers' protest in Punjab

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking directions to the Centre and other authorities to immediately clear blockades on national and state highways in Punjab where farmers are staging protests. A bench of justices Surya Kant and Manmohan said the matter is already pending before the court and it cannot entertain repetitive petitions on the same issue. "We are already examining the larger issue. You are not the only conscience keeper of society. Don't file repetitive petitions. Some are filing for publicity interest and some are filing to play to the gallery. We cannot entertain repetitive petitions on the same issue," the bench told petitioner Gaurav Luthra, who claimed to be a social activist in Punjab. The court also refused Luthra's request to tag the petition with the pending matter. Farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since

Farmers unhappy with both INDIA bloc and BJP govt, says Sarwan Singh

Tensions escalated at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border, where police used tear gas to block farmers attempting to march to Delhi

Farmers' protests received booster dose from no less than VP: Cong

The Congress on Friday reiterated its support for farmers' demands and said their protests have received a "huge booster dose" from no less a person than Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. The opposition party's assertion came ahead of a scheduled march by a group of farmers to Delhi from their protest site at the Shambhu border on the Punjab and Haryana border. Also, the remarks comes days after Dhankhar, speaking at a ceremony to mark the centenary of ICAR-CIRCOT in Mumbai, said, "Agriculture minister, I request you to please tell me, what was promised to the farmer? Why was the promise not fulfilled? What should we do to fulfil the promise? There was a movement last year, there is a movement this year, too." Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh noted farmers are marching to Parliament Friday. "Their protests received a huge booster dose from no less a person than the Vice President and Hon'ble Chairman of the Rajya Sabha himself," Ramesh said in his po