Farmers’ Protest Live Updates:
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 Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), which is one of the farmer unions.
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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In 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.
The police have cautioned commuters going to Delhi and coming back from the national capital of traffic diversions in Noida.
🚨यातायात एडवाइजरी🚨
यातायात हेल्पलाइन नं०-9971009001 https://t.co/ho5dEJOeuYpic.twitter.com/ODsBsRv3IL– Noida Traffic Police (@noidatraffic) February 16, 2024
“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.
Gautam 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.
दिनांक 16.02.2024 को संयुक्त किसान मोर्चा व विभिन्न संगठनो द्वारा धरना प्रदर्शन आदि विभिन्न कार्यक्रम किया जाना प्रस्तावित है।
अतः दिनांक 16.02.2024 को दंड प्रक्रिया संहिता की धारा-144 लागू की जाती है। pic.twitter.com/hkI8Nk5KW0– POLICE COMMISSIONERATE GAUTAM BUDDH NAGAR (@noidapolice) February 15, 2024
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.
The 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.
The 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.