Haryana Home and Health Minister Anil Vij Wednesday said that India is a democratic country and everyone has the right to protest and raise their voice.

“You cannot stop anyone for that. Whatever their (farmers’) demands are, our officers are talking to them. The talks are ongoing. Any conclusions drawn from the conversation will be communicated,” Vij said on the ongoing farmers’ agitation.

Vij was addressing the media after chairing a meeting with senior police officers in Gurgaon, where he reviewed the law and order situation in the district. Read more

Those protesting against the Centre's farm laws at Delhi borders are not farmers, said UP BJP vice-president Salil Bishnoi on Wednesday. The BJP leader alleged that the protesters are “brokers” between farmers and big traders as the real farmer is working in his field and cannot afford to protest for such a long time.

They are hell-bent on getting three farm laws scrapped, which were enacted to address problems faced by farmers, the BJP leader told reporters.

The BJP leader also junked the allegations of poor law and order in UP, terming it a bid to tarnish the state government's image by the opposition. The fact is that goons are either in jail or left the state, he claimed. (PTI)

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra for hiking the MSP for Rabi crops, an increase dubbed as "grossly insufficient" a "cruel joke" on farmers by the Congress. The Union government on Wednesday hiked the minimum support price (MSP) for wheat by Rs 40 to Rs 2,015 per quintal and for mustard seed by Rs 400 to Rs 5,050 per quintal for the current crop year.

In a statement issued here, Khattar said the decision of hiking the MSP is another step taken towards doubling the income of farmers by 2022.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and former chief minister Hooda said, "The two per cent increase in the MSP of wheat, barley and gram is grossly insufficient and a cruel joke on farmers." He said there has been a huge increase in the input cost as petrol and diesel prices have skyrocketed. (PTI)

In the evening, the farmers started setting up “pakka morcha” (permanent structures) with iron frames and waterproof covers. 

Gurjant Virk, who had received injuries on hus nose in the police lathicharge and has complained of partial loss of vision, said, “Today, I was discharged from the hospital after 10 days and I came to the dharna venue instead of going home. I will not go home till the farmers' demands are met.”

The RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) on Wednesday staged a protest at Jantar Mantar as part of its nationwide agitation to demand that the government bring a law to ensure farmers get remunerative price for their produce.

The demonstration was held at the Jantar Mantar and leaders of the organisation have claimed that farmers are not getting minimum support price (MSP) in many parts of the country.

"There has to be a law which ensures that farmers get a remunerative price of their produce," BKS Delhi Pradesh president Harpal Singh Dagar said. He alleged that the protest, which was scheduled to start at 10 am, was delayed for one and a half hours because of the Delhi Police.

"Due to the lack of coordination among Delhi Police officials, our protest started at 11.30 am, in which 115 members of BKS participated. It ended at 1.50 pm," Dagar said.

However, police said that they did not give permission for the protest.

"We did not give any permission to them to protest at the Jantar Mantar. However, they came here and left the spot soon," a senior police officer said. (PTI)

A large group of farmers are camping outside the mini-secretariat in Karnal — the constituency represented by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha. They are firm on their demand for action against IAS officer Ayush Sinha, who had ordered a police lathi-charge on a group of protesting farmers last month. Read Varinder Bhatia's explainer on what the scenario means for the BJP-JJP alliance government in Haryana and especially CM Khattar.

Haryana Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda says, “Farmers' agitation is being run by their unions, not any political party. Several parties including Congress support their demands. They're demanding a guarantee on MSP. Crops are not being procured on MSP in mandis…The government should initiate talks with them.” (ANI)

Hopeful of an early resolution to the long-running farmers' protests on the national capital borders, a key member of the Supreme Court-appointed panel on contentious agri-laws on Wednesday said the report submitted by the committee is "cent per cent" in favour of farmers and the apex court must take up the matter without any delay.

The panel member acknowledged that the government and the Supreme Court have to consider the law and order issue that may arise with the release of the report for which they needed to take time, but "they just cannot dump it and they should not dump it."

Shetkari Sanghatana President Anil J Ghanwat, the panel member who had written to the Chief Justice of India on September 1 urging him to make the report public, also said the committee does not support repeal of the three laws, as being demanded by protesting farmers, but he and his organisation certainly believed that there are "many defects" in the laws that needed to be addressed.

It is therefore very important for the apex court to release the report in the public domain at the earliest to clear all apprehensions of farmers, Ghanwat told PTI.

"The report has to be made public at the earliest. If they do it tomorrow, that will be better... When the people will know the content of the report, they will decide whether the new farm laws are in favour of farmers or not," he said. (PTI)

Workers of the RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) on Wednesday staged demonstrations in Nagpur as part of its nationwide agitation to press for "remunerative price" to farmers for their produce to cover their production cost and called for "improvement" in the Centre's new farm laws.

Speaking to reporters, president of the BKS' Vidarbha unit Nana Aakhre said the Union government should either bring a new legislation or make changes in the agri-marketing laws enacted last year to add a provision for payment of minimum support price (MSP) for major farm produce.

Farmers should get a "remunerative price" for their produce to cover their production cost, which they don't receive in the existing system, he said.

Senior BKS functionary Dinesh Kulkarni had earlier said that remunerative price is the cost of production plus profit. Remunerative price is farmers' right, which should be facilitated by the government. (PTI)

Demanding profitable price of their produce, a large number of farmers gathered under the banner of RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) staged protests in Indore and other parts of western Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday. The protests were part of a nationwide agitation called by the BKS in support of their demands, including paying profitable price to farmers for their crops over and above the cost of production.

A large number of farmers associated with the BKS staged protests before agriculture markets and other places in western Madhya Pradesh as part of the agitation announced earlier, the outfit's Malwa Region (Indore-Ujjain division) president, Kamal Singh Aanjna, said. (PTI)

The second round of talks between the Karnal administration and farmer leaders have also failed. Speaking to media persons, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said the administration is refusing to take any action against “officials who are responsible” for the August 28 lathi-charge. “They are getting their directions from Chandigarh,” said Tikait, who had earlier said that the bureaucracy is doing its best to protect former SDM Ayush Sinha.

Tikait said the farmers will carry on their ‘pucca dharna’ at the spot and more supporters will join them from UP and Punjab.

Haryana BKU chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni also said they will carry on with the siege until their demands are met and action is taken against the “guilty officials”.

Thousands of farmers are camping outside the mini-secretariat, where offices of all senior officers, including the DC and the SP, are situated. The CM residence is barely 3 km from the secretariat.

As many as 40 companies of the security forces, including CAPF and BSF, have been deployed in the town, especially around the secretariat.

Meeting between farmer leaders and government officers going on for three hours now. The farmer leaders are insisting on the suspension of IAS officer Ayush Sinha, who had reportedly ordered cops to "break heads" of the protesters.

Amid the ongoing protests by farmers against the Centre's farm laws, BJP MP Virendra Singh Mast said the government will not withdraw the three legislations.The laws were not made to be withdrawn later, the MP from Uttar Pradesh's Ballia said on Tuesday.

Thousands of farmers from across the country, particularly Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at Delhi borders, including Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur, since November last year to demand the repeal of the three farm laws and a new law to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

"The government will not withdraw the new farm laws. They were not made to be withdrawn later," Mast said. "If a law passed in Parliament is withdrawn due to protests on roads, what will be its (Parliament's) standing?" he asked.

Mast, however, said he will welcome suggestions in the interest of farmers and agriculture. (PTI)

The Centre on Wednesday announced minimum support prices (MSPs) for six rabi crops for the 2022-23 marketing season, with the MSP for wheat seeing an increase of just 2.03 percent, which is the lowest in the last 12 years.

The MSPs for the other rabi crops — barley, gram, lentil (masur), rapeseed and mustard, and safflower — have been increased in range of 2.14% to 8.60%.

“The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Rabi crops for Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2022-23,” said an official statement.

It added, “Government has increased the MSP of Rabi crops for RMS 2022-23, to ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce.” Read full report by Harikishan Sharma

Addressing the gathering, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said CM M L Khattar wants to shift the agitation from the Delhi border to Karnal. “We have surrounded  Delhi from five sides. A large number of people there are from Haryana. We must understand the CM’s ploy and continue our mobilisation  on Delhi borders.”

Commenting on the administration’s move to arrest the farmer leaders last evening, Tikait said the administration could have declared Anaj Mandi a jail. He cited the example of Mumbai where the Azad maidan, was converted into a jail for over 50,000 protesters. “Had the Karnal administration done that, we could have brought our animals here. It would still have been a big win for us.”

Last evening, the protesters had deflated the tyres of the police bus that  farmer leaders had boarded for courting  arrest.

Tikait said the farmers have no grouse against the police. “Last night, the cops also slept here with us. Our enemy is not present here. And we must be careful of his machinations. Tikait stressed that the farmer agitation is peaceful.  “Haryana farmers are krantikari. They are the strength of our agitation,” he said as the gathering was served piping hot food prepared at a local shrine. The farmers did not allow anyone to enter the mini civil secretariat from the main gate. Some officers and staff, however, made their way inside through the rear gate.”

The Union Cabinet has approved MSP for the rabi marketing season 2022-23. The MSP for wheat was increased to Rs 2015 per quintal from Rs 1,975 per quintal, a two per cent rise. It also hiked the MSP for mustard seed by Rs  400 to Rs 5,050 per quintal for the current crop year.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

As a large number of farmers from across several districts of Haryana and the neighbouring states continue to squat at the gates of the district headquarters in Haryana’s Karnal following failed talks with the BJP-led state government, the Karnal administration once again invited the farmer leaders for talks.

The Haryana government has extended the ban on mobile internet and SMS services in Karnal in the wake of the ongoing farmers' protests, ANI reported. 

"In exercise of powers conferred upon me by virtue of Rule 2 of Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety ) Rules, 2017, I, Home Secretary, Haryana do hereby order for the suspension of the mobile internet services (2G/3G/4G/CDMA/GPRS), all SMS services including bulk SMS (excluding banking and mobile recharge) and all dongle services etc. provided on mobile networks except the voice calls in district Karnal from 12:00 midnight to 11:59 pm on Wednesday," a government order read. 

A large number of farmers stayed put outside the gates of the district headquarters here on Wednesday as they remained firm on their demand for action against IAS officer Ayush Sinha, who ordered a police lathi-charge on a group of peasants last month.

Locked in a showdown with the Haryana government over the lathi-charge, the farmers squatted at the gates of the mini-secretariat on Tuesday evening after talks with the local administration failed. Many spent the night outside the mini-secretariat. The protesters are demanding action over the police lathi-charge here on August 28.

Their main demand centres around Sinha, former Karnal SDM. He was later transferred out as part of a larger bureaucratic shuffle. (PTI)

Addressing the ongoing protest in Karnal, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said that he will be meeting with the farmers to decide the future course of action. "The administration has tried to give an explanation of SDM's earlier action. We will hold a meeting with farmers to make a decision on our further actions," he said. 

Farmers in Haryana continued to protest outside the mini secretariat in Karnal for the second consecutive day on Wednesday. Yesterday, police were seen using water cannons in an attempt to disperse the farmers as they marched towards the complex. 

The protesting farmers should point out the shortcomings in the new farm laws so that the government can rectify them, Union minister Bhanu Pratap Verma said Tuesday, alleging they were tutored into the agitation by Opposition parties.

His statement came on a day a large number of farmers squatted at the gates of the district headquarters in Haryana's Karnal, locked in a showdown with the state's BJP-led government over a police lathicharge last month.

The farmers have been protesting against the three farm laws at Delhi border points for close to 10 months now. "Instead of being misguided by Opposition parties, the farmers should point out the shortcomings in the farm laws so that they may be rectified," the Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises told reporters in Vrindavan. (PTI)

A large number of farmers on Tuesday squatted at the gates of the district headquarters here, locked in a showdown with Haryana's BJP-led government over a police lathi-charge last month.

The gherao began in the evening, several hours after farmers from Haryana and neighbouring states reached Karnal's New Anaj Mandi for a mahapanchayat, riding tractors and motorcycles.

Marching on foot from the mahapanchayat venue to the mini-secretariat five kilometres away, farmers faced a water cannon as they neared the complex. They jumped some barricades, but there was no other serious confrontation with police along the way.

As the protesters appeared to settle in for the night, union leaders said the gherao will continue till their demands are met.

In Delhi, the Congress said Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar should resign if he cannot talk with the protesting farmers. Party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should shed his “ego and arrogance” and withdraw the three “black laws” over which farmers have been protesting for months. (PTI)

Pitching for a third front, INLD’s Om Prakash Chautala will bring together SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and SAD supremo Parkash Singh Badal on one stage on September 25, the birth anniversary of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal.

NCP leader Sharad Pawar, TMC president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and RLD leader Jayant Chowdhury have also been invited for a “huge” political rally on the occasion in Haryana’s Jind and their confirmation is awaited, INLD leader Abhay Chautala told PTI.

“Many like-minded leaders from non-BJP and non-Congress parties will come together on one stage and will raise issues that are close to the people, especially farmers’ issues,” Abhay Chautala said. Read more

Police used a water cannon near the district secretariat here as thousands of farmers marched towards the complex demanding action over a police lathi-charge last month.

Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav claimed that protesters, marching to the secretariat from the venue of a mahapanchayat five kilometres away, had already begun a gherao there.

Farmers reached the New Anaj Mandi for a mahapanchayat in the morning, riding tractors and motorcycles. As they gathered there, an 11-member delegation was invited by the local administration to discuss their demands and dissuade them from marching towards the secretariat.

“Our talks with administration failed as they did not agree to our demands,” senior farm leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan said about three hours later.

Farm union leaders then urged the large gathering at the mahapanchayat to march peacefully towards the mini-secretariat, five kilometres away. The leaders told the farmers not to enter into any confrontation with policemen, and squat in protest wherever they are stopped. (PTI)

Scenes from Karnal as protesting farmers gherao the mini-secretariat

#WATCH Protesting farmers gherao Mini Secretariat in Karnal, after concluding Kisan Mahapanchayat at Anaj Mandi . #Haryana pic.twitter.com/qxMxm3v6LB

— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2021

After crossing six police barricades, farmers gherao Karnal mini-secretariat.

Braving inclement weather, a large number of farmers from across Haryana and several neighbouring states gathered in Karnal’s Anaj Mandi on a call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) to gherao the mini-secretariat in the district in protest against the recent police lathicharge on farmers at Bastara Toll Plaza.

After talks with the district administration yielded no result, the farmers began marching towards the mini-secretariat in the evening.

Several farmers and cops had sustained injuries in the August 28 lathicharge at Bastara, while it was claimed that a farmer, Sushil Kajal, had succumbed to injuries sustained during the police assault. Read more

Scenes from Karnal as protesting farmers march towards the mini-secretariat

#WATCH | Following Kisan Mahapanchayat at Anaj Mandi, protesting farmers now head to Mini Secretariat in Karnal, Haryana. pic.twitter.com/6CQaKSQ7hZ

— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2021

Cops try to stop the protesting farmers from reaching the mini-secretariat in Karnal

#WATCH | BKU leader Rakesh Tikait and protesting farmers face police deployment while heading to Mini Secretariat in Karnal, Haryana pic.twitter.com/05cPLwR2s2

— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2021

Yogendra Yadav says he, along with Rakesh Tikait and other Samyukta Kisan Morcha leaders, have been taken into custody.

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????? ?? ????, ????? ????? ???? ??????? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ??? #KarnalProtest_AgainstLathicharge

— Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) September 7, 2021

After talks with officials failed, farmers have started marching towards Karnal's mini-secretariat.

Balbir Singh Rajewal announced that talks with the district administration have failed despite three rounds of talks. He added that farmers will not break any police barricades, but will continue with their decision to gherao mini-secretariat. He further said that farmers will not indulge in any law and order disruption and in case cops try to stop them, they will court arrest.

Rajewal added that the Karnal Deputy Commissioner sought one month's time to probe if SDM Ayush Sinha's “objectionable words” actually led to police lathicharge. Rajewal said that the Karnal Deputy Commissioner was “adamant on defending” Sinha.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Chaduni) chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni says, “The talks (between farmer leaders and Karnal district administration) have failed. We will decide on our next strategy at the anaj mandi.” (ANI)

Talks between farmers and officials in Karnal have been inconclusive and farmer leaders have said that they will now decide on the future course of action.

Bharatiya Kisan Sangh will hold demonstrations at district centres in the country on September 8 demanding profitable prices to all farmers equally, says Badrinarayan Choudhary, general secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh.

He adds, "Whatever is earned by farmers in growing crops should be ensured to them. The govt should either give a profitable price or explain to us why our demand is wrong. The current MSP is a fraud. There should be a law for MSP."  (ANI)

An 11-member delegation of farmer leaders was invited to hold talks with the district administration here on Tuesday as protesters in large numbers assembled for a mahapanchayat and later planned to gherao the district headquarters.

Senior leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), including Rakesh Tikait, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Darshan Pal, Yogendra Yadav and Gurnam Singh Chaduni, have arrived here for the mahapanchayat demanding action against the police lathicharge on farmers on August 28. These senior leaders will be part of the talks with the administration and have said that they will raise various demands during the interaction.

"We are talking to a delegation of farmers," Karnal Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav told PTI over phone.

Officials said details of the meeting will be shared later. Meanwhile, security arrangements have been beefed up in Karnal as the farmers have planned to gherao the mini-secretariat here. (PTI)

The Karnal District Administration on Tuesday said ground intelligence reports have indicated that some weapons, including lathis, jellis, iron rods are included in today’s protest march by farmers in Karnal. “Police and Administration have spoken to the Kisan leaders who have tried to persuade such elements to leave the venue, but they are not listening to their leaders,” it said. All such elements will be strictly dealt with in accordance with law, the administration highlighted. 

Haryana BKU president Gurnam Singh Chaduni on Tuesday reiterated that they will not indulge in violence and protest peacefully. “If any person  present in this gathering is carrying any weapon, he is not one of us. It could be a conspiracy to malign our peaceful agitation. We shall not indulge in violence and shall continue to protest peacefully till our demands are met,” Chaduni said.

Haryana BKU president Gurnam Singh Chaduni on Tuesday said that the farmers are open for talks. Addressing a crowd today, Chaduni said, "initially they were not allowing us to even hold this gathering in anaj mandi, they imposed Section 144, now they are inviting us for talks. We shall go for talks.”

In another development, the Karnal district adminitration has invited SKM leaders for talks, just as they gather to start marching towards the mini-secretariat. Farmers have said that they are open for talks. Therefore, a 11-member delegation of farmer leaders will be going to hold talks with the district administration soon.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha had on August 30 given a call for gherao of the secretariat, demanding registration of an FIR against officers who had ordered a lathicharge on agitators during their protest against a BJP event in Karnal on August 28.

On Monday, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said, “I have ordered ADGP (Law and Order) Navdeep Singh Virk to be present in Karnal to oversee the situation and to ensure peaceful conclusion of the event. Stern action as per law will be taken against those trying to disturb law and order.”

In a video message to farmers, senior BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni said, “After the police lathicharge we had decided to hold a big panchayat and gherao the DC office. For that we will gather in Karnal Anaj Mandi at 10 am on Tuesday where we will take a call for further move.” Other senior SKM leaders will also reach Karnal on Tuesday.

The farmers are also demanding the registration of an FIR against then SDM, Ayush Sinha, who had on August 28 ordered police to “break the heads” of those who breach the security cordon.

For the kisan mahapanchayat today, as many as 40 companies of security forces, including 10 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), have been deployed in the town, and internet services have been suspended from Monday afternoon to Tuesday night. Internet and SMS services have been suspended in Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind and Panipat too.

Wary of the situation escalating, Karnal Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav has issued prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC, which prohibits the assembly of five or more people.