Bharat Bandh today: Bharat Bandh call has been given to press the Centre to accept their demands
The leaders of protesting farmer unions and Centre held marathon talks last night with Union minister Arjun Munda terming the discussion as "positive". Mr Munda along with Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Nityanand Rai represented the Centre at the around five-hour-long meeting over the farmer unions' various demands, including a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
The meeting came ahead of the "Bharat Bandh" (nationwide strike) called by the farmers' body Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) today.
Hundreds of farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana after they were stopped by security personnel during their march to Delhi earlier this week.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have given a "Delhi Chalo" call to press the Centre to accept their demands.
Here are the LIVE updates on the farmers' protest:
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Farmers' Protest Live Updates: MSP To Get Legal Guarantee If INDIA Bloc Comes To Power, Says Rahul GandhiCongress leader Rahul Gandhi today said his party will accept long-pending demands of farmers in the country and ensure a legal guarantee to minimum support price of crops if the INDIA bloc comes to power after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Addressing the 'Kisan Nyay Panchayat', a gathering of farmers, in Bihar's Rohtas, he claimed that "cultivators are not getting the remunerative prices for their crops".
"Whenever farmers have asked for something from the Congress, it has been given to them. Be it loan waiver or MSP, we have always protected the interests of cultivators and will do so in future," Mr Gandhi said.
Bharat Bandh: Delhi Police On High AlertDelhi Police is on high alert and security has been increased in the national capital in view of the 'Bharat Bandh' call given by the farmers.
Police have put up barricades in the central part of the city leading to the Parliament and other sensitive locations.
(Image credits: PTI)
There is heavy security deployment at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders and multiple layers of barricades, barbed wires and concrete blocks have been put up to stop the farmers from entering Delhi.
Farmers' Protest in Delhi: The Way Farmers Are Being Stopped Is "Not Right", Says Sanjay RautAmid the ongoing farmers' protest, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said that the way the farmers are being stopped at the Punjab-Haryana borders is not right.
"So far, more than 100 farmers have been injured and many have been arrested," he told reporters.
"Today the farmers have called for a Bharat Bandh but this message has not reached the entire nation," he added.
Farmers' Protest Live Updates: Huge Traffic Jam At Delh-Ghaziabad Border
Huge traffic was witnessed at the Delhi-Ghaziabad border as police and paramilitary personnel kept a tight vigil on the activities at the borders of the national capital amid the farmers' protest.
Bharat Bandh: Many Buses Stay Off Roads In PunjabMany buses in Punjab stayed off the roads today morning in response to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha's call for a 'Bharat Bandh'.
According to reports, Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers' Union are supporting the SKM bandh call.
Farmer unions including Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal), Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakunda), Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal), Bharatiya Kisan Union (Qadian) and Kirti Kisan Union are taking part in the bandh.
Delhi Chalo March Live: Why Are Farmers ProtestingProtesting farmers want a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
They are also demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and compensation for the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.
Farmers' Protest Live Updates: Haryana's Toll Plazas To Be Toll Free For 3 HoursIn view of the farmers' protest, all the toll plazas in Haryana will remain toll free for three hours between 12 pm and 3 pm today.
Kisan Andolan Live: Traffic Diversions In NoidaThe police have cautioned commuters going to Delhi and coming back from the national capital of traffic diversions in Noida.
In a traffic advisory, the police said intensive checking will be done by installing barriers on all the borders of Noida and Delhi by the police on both sides due to which there will be a pressure on vehicular movement and traffic would be diverted according to requirement.
"People going to Delhi please use Metro as much as possible to avoid traffic inconvenience. Arrival of all types of goods vehicles will be restricted on the route from Yamuna Expressway to Delhi via Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and from Sirsa to Surajpur via Pari Chowk. To avoid traffic inconvenience, drivers can use alternative routes to reach their destination," the police said.
Bharat Bandh Today: Section 144 Imposed In NoidaGautam Buddh Nagar Police has said that 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 today.
According to the official order, unlawful assembly of five or more people, unauthorised processions or demonstrations, including political or religious, are prohibited.
The order also bars the use of private drones in a radius of one km of government establishments. It also prohibits people from carrying sticks, rods, tridents, swords, firearms and the likes in public places.
Farmers Protest Live: Farmers' Body Calls For Bharat Bandh Over MSP, Other IssuesThe Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), which is one of the farmer unions, has called for a 'Bharat Bandh' today over several issues including non-implementation of a law that guarantees MSP for crops.
Besides farmers' groups, traders and transporters have also been asked to support the cause and observe a work strike today.
Farmers' Protest Live Updates: Farmers Hold Talks With CentreThe leaders of protesting farmer unions and Centre held marathon talks last night. Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, who was part of the meeting, termed the discussion as "positive" and said that another round of talks will be held on Sunday.
Mr Munda along with Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Nityanand Rai represented the Centre at the around five-hour-long meeting over the farmer unions' various demands, including a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.