Bharat Bandh Today Highlights: Haryana Police fired tear gas at protesting farmers at Shambhu border near Ambala after talks between Union ministers and farmer leaders remained inconclusive. This marks the fourth day of the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march organized by Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, demanding a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Despite earlier inconclusive meetings on February 8, 12, and 15, both parties plan to meet again on February 18. Farmers from Punjab, stopped at Shambhu and Khanauri points on Punjab’s border with Haryana since Tuesday, are demanding MSP assurance, implementation of Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension, farm debt waiver, among other things.
Union ministers and Punjab CM raised concerns during the talks, with farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher emphasizing their demands, including MSP and debt waiver. Pandher expressed hope for a positive outcome to avoid confrontation, stating their commitment to continue protesting at the borders and raising issues like tear gas shelling. Meanwhile, a 63-year-old farmer, Gian Singh, died of a heart attack during the protest.
Farmers Protest Day 4 Highlights: Tear gas at Punjab-Haryana border, as talks with Union Minister remain inconclusive. Follow Financial Express for all the live updates.
A farmer who was among the farmers protesting at the Shambhu border near Haryana's Ambala, died of a heart attack. The 63-year-old farmer hailed from Punjab's Gurdaspur district.
On Day 4 of protest, security forces yet again fire tear gas shells to disperse protesting farmers at Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border near Ambala.
“We had the discussion with the ministers. We will call it a ‘decision’, only if they will practically implement everything that they have said to us in the meeting. It will be our last option to move forward if nothing happens ever after the talk and giving enough time to the government,” farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said.
Delhi Police is on high alert and security has been tightened in the national capital in view of the 'Bharat Bandh' call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM).
Traffic may be affected in the national capital with barricades put up in several areas, according to police.
On the ongoing farmers' protest and the use of brute force that have left over 100 farmers injured in the last four days, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said, "The protestors are representing the farmers of the whole country. But the way they are being stopped is not right. So far, more than 100 farmers have been injured and many have been arrested. They have made huge prisons. While farmers are being oppressed in India, PM Modi is travelling abroad, Amit Shah has not uttered a word, and the agriculture minister has not been given the right to talk."
"Today the farmers have called for a Bharat Bandh but this message has not reached the entire nation. MVA will discuss the future of this agitation. Shiv Sena is in constant touch with the protestors," Raut added.
Protesting farmers will stay put at the two borders of Punjab and Haryana over their various demands as the deadlock continues to persist despite the third round of talks with a panel of Union ministers on Thursday evening.
A five-hour meeting, which started around 8.45 pm on Thursday, between three Union ministers and the farmer leaders was 'fruitful' but remained inconclusive.
The protesting farmers will now meet with the Centre on February 18 for the fourth round of talks. The two previous rounds of dialogue on February 8 and 12 also remained inconclusive. (PTI)
Commuters in Punjab faced inconvenience on Friday as many several buses were halted in response to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha's (SKM) call for a 'Bharat Bandh'.
Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers' Union are supporting the Samyukta Kisan Morcha's (SKM) bandh call. (PTI)
A Bharat Bandh is in place today amid the farmers’ protest. The bandh has been called by several farmer unions in order to press their demands on the central government. Farmer unions, including the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), a part of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), and Noida-based Bharatiya Kisan Parishad (BKP) called a day-long bandh between 6 am to 4 pm today.
Several private and government offices may remain shut on Friday due to the scheduled protest. Moreover, transportation services, agricultural activities, MNREGA rural works, and rural industrial and service sector institutions may also be affected.
However, essential services such as ambulance operations, medical facilities, and schools will continue uninterrupted.
As of now, banks haven't announced about disruption in services. The Reserve Bank of India’s holiday matrix also states that banks will remain open. Read more
Gautam Buddh Nagar Police on Thursday said restrictions under CrPC Section 144, including a ban on unauthorised public assemblies, would be enforced across the district in view of Bharat Bandh called by farmers' unions on Friday.
The police also cautioned commuters going to Delhi and coming back from the capital city of traffic diversions in Noida and urged citizens to opt for metro rail service "as far as possible" to avoid inconvenience. Read more
Senior farmer leader from Haryana and the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Chaduni chief, Gurnam Singh Chaduni, said on Thursday that farmers will "take over" all toll plazas in Haryana from 12 noon to 3 pm on Friday to express resentment against the police lathi charge on protesting farmers who have gathered along the Punjab-Haryana borders as part of the ‘Dilli Chalo’ march.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the BJP over the ongoing farmers' protest, accusing them of governing like "Ravan" and surpassing all moral boundaries and showing a blatant disregard for "Lakshman Rekhas." (PTI)
The third round of talks between the protesting farmers in Punjab and three union ministers, including Arjun Munda and Piyush Goyal, concluded on a positive note on Thursday. Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda said the dialogue was “very positive” and they had decided to meet again on Sunday evening.
The farmer union leaders called the discussions on MSP, the Swaminathan report, and debt waiver “fruitful”, while Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said he would continue to broker peace for the state as he didn’t want to see the youth facing teargas shells.
The Gramin Bharat Bandh is scheduled to begin from 6 am and continue till 4 pm as the farmers are expected to join ‘chakka jam’ on major roads across the country.