Farmers' protest highlights: Internet suspended in 7 Haryana districts till Friday

The government is ready for talks with farmers and will continue to do so in future also, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said.

Senior farmer Jagjit singh Dallewal is undergoing the treatment at the emergency ward of the Government Rajindra Hospital. As per the doctors attending Dallewal, he is stable. "We are conducting medical tests such as X Ray and ECG. All the vitals are stable- as of now” said a senior doctor of the Medicine department of the hospital

At least 12 police personnel have been seriously injured following a clash between protesting farmers and Haryana police amid the "Delhi Chalo" march at the Data Singh-Khanauri border, an official said on Wednesday.

Taking to their social media handle, Haryana police in a video message said on X, "The protesters surrounded the police personnel from all sides at the Data Singh-Khanauri border and burned stubble with chilli powder in it. The protesters also attacked the policemen using sticks and pelted stones. About 12 police personnel have been seriously injured."

"The police personnel in the area faced breathing lower visibility issues due to the poisonous smoke emanating from the burning stubble," said the official in the video.

Punjab farmers at Khanauri and Shambhu had resumed their agitation early in the morning after a two-day halt following the fourth round of talks on Sunday night with a panel of three Union ministers in an attempt to break the deadlock.

Thousands of farmers will remain camped at the two border points during the pause in the agitation over their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm debt waiver.

Pandher said the farmers will review the developments at Khanauri border point where the young farmer died following a clash with Haryana security personnel.

"We will decide the next course of action after reviewing the Khanauri incident. There will be a stay on the Delhi march for two days," he further said.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said he was saddened by the death of a young farmer on the Punjab-Haryana border and asserted that stringent action would be taken against those responsible for it.

"After postmortem, a case will be registered. Those officials responsible for his death will have to face stringent action," said Mann in a video message this evening.

Subhkaran Singh (24) died at Khanauri on the Sangrur-Jind border.

He was killed and a few others were injured on the Punjab-Haryana border as protesters resumed their 'Delhi Chalo' agitation, with the Haryana Police firing tear gas shells to thwart attempts to breach barricades at Shambhu and Khanauri border points.

The Centre on Wednesday approved ‘Fair and Remunerative Price’ of sugarcane payable by sugar factories for sugar season 2024-25.

The Cabinet decision comes amid the ongoing farmers' protest in northern states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said there will be a thorough investigation into the death of the 24-year-old farmer Shubh Karan Singh by the Haryana Police during a clash at the Khanauri border. Mann said his government will stand by the farmers and won't bow down even if there are 100 threats of President's Rule in Punjab. Following the death, the protesters announced that the 'Delhi Chalo' march will be paused for two days as the leaders need to chart out the future course of action. Read more

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday condemned the death of 24-year-old protesting farmer on Khanauri border in Haryana, calling it ‘gross human rights violations’.

“ZAMINDARS in all ages have always oppressed the poor and subjugated them to brute force. But never before has an ELECTED GOVERNMENT KILLED INNOCENT FARMERS PROTESTING FOR THEIR RIGHTS,” the Trinamool Congress chief posted on social media platform X.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the death of young Shubhkaran was extremely sad. “Was it for this day that we fought for independence, that one day the governments elected by us in our own country will martyr our sons like the British? We are completely with Shubhkaran and will ensure strict punishment to his murderers,” Arvind Kejriwal posted on X.

“ZAMINDARS in all ages have always oppressed the poor and subjugated them to brute force. But never before has an ELECTED GOVERNMENT KILLED INNOCENT FARMERS PROTESTING FOR THEIR RIGHTS. After lying & mistreating our farmers for 10 years, the BJP government is now KILLING THEM WITH IMPUNITY. The concerning developments at Khanauri border indicate gross human rights violations & endanger our democracy,” said West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee .

Expressing deep shock over death of young farmer Shubhkaran Singh, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday announced to ensure exemplary punishment to the officers responsible for death of the youth.

The Chief Minister said that he had seen the video of gruesome murder of the young farmer who was there to exercise his democratic right. He said that after investigation FIR will be registered against the people responsible for death of the youth and exemplary punishment to them will be ensured. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government is fully with the family of the deceased youth in this hour of crisis and they will be helped socially and economically.

Internet suspension in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts in the state of Haryana extended up to 23 February.

Farmers across the western Uttar Pradesh districts staged demonstrations and carried out marches to press for their demand of MSP.

Protests were held in Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Ghaziabad, and Greater Noida.

In Muzaffarnagar, a farmer tried to kill himself by setting himself on fire.

The fire was doused in time by the fellow agitators and he was rushed to a local hospital.

City Magistrate Vikash Kashyap, who visited the hospital, said the farmer, Brijpal, received minor burn injuries on face and was tended to immediately.

He said he was told that the farmer had a loan-related issue which would be addressed soon.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the death of a 24-year-old farm protester on Khanauri border.

“Extremely saddened with the death of young farmer Shubh Karan Singh in firing on Khanauri border. I extend my condolences to his family. Modi's arrogance had led to sacrifices by more than 700 farmers last time. Now, it has become an enemy of their lives once again,” Gandhi posted on X.

Farmers leaders on Wednesday put the 'Delhi Chalo' march on hold for two days after a protester was killed and about 12 police personnel injured in clashes at Khanauri, one of the two protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that they will decide the next course of action on Friday evening.

Punjab farmers at Khanauri and Shambhu had resumed their agitation early in the morning after a two-day lull following the fourth round of talks on Sunday night with a panel of three Union ministers in an attempt to break the deadlock.

Police fired tear gas shells at the two border points multiple times to disperse groups of protesters when they attempted to move towards the layers of barricades stalling their march to the national capital.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann backs agitating farmers; says will register FIR to probe how a young farmer was killed at Khanori; Claims he is getting threats about imposing President Rule in Punjab but he wont bow down to such threats. Filing

Farmers leaders on Wednesday put the 'Delhi Chalo' march on hold for two days after a protester was killed and about 12 police personnel injured in clashes at Khanauri, one of the two protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher told reporters at Shambhu that they will decide the next course of action on Friday evening.

Punjab farmers at Khanauri and Shambhu had resumed their agitation early in the morning after a two-day lull following the fourth round of talks on Sunday night with a panel of three Union ministers in an attempt to break the deadlock.

"The news of death of young farmer Shubhakaran Singh in firing on Khanauri border is heartbreaking, my condolences are with his family.

Last time Modi's arrogance was accepted only after the sacrifice of more than 700 farmers, now it has again become the enemy of their lives.

One day history will definitely demand an account of the 'killing of farmers' from the BJP hiding behind the friendly media," Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.

Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda on Wednesday said the interest of farmers across the country should be taken into account while dealing with demands raised by the protesting farmers at the Punjab-Haryana borders, and appealed to them to come for another round of discussions.

Speaking to PTI, Munda also exuded confidence that a solution to the demands of the farmers can be found through negotiations.

"Farmers are across the country. While making a policy, it is important to keep in mind the interest of the farmers of the entire country. Keeping this in mind, we will work towards resolving their concerns in the coming days," Munda said.

Farmers on tractors held a dharna in front of the district collectorate in this Uttarakhand city on Wednesday in support of their various demands.

The protest comes at a time when thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, have been camping at the Punjab-Haryana border in support of various demands, including a legal guarantee on minimum support price for crops, pension for farmers and farm labourers and farm loan waiver.

The farmers in Rudrapur reached the collectorate on tractors, shouting slogans as they passed through the streets. They were stopped by the police outside the collectorate, which was heavily barricaded.

On farmers' protest, Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa says, "A 23-year-old from Bathinda district was shot during police firing, there is a video of it and I have seen it. Unfortunately, all these protesters were in Punjab territory and none of them didn’t do anything wrong but the kind of action Haryana forces are taking on the peaceful protesters is condemnable. I want to say to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Ji, you should stand with farmers. I also demand that an FIR should be registered against the Home Minister of Haryana Anil Vij in Punjab police station as the police firing is happening and he is the Home Minister, it’s his moral responsibility...."

On farmers' protest, Additional CP, Delhi Eastern Range Sagar SIngh Kalso says, "All three zones in the eastern range share their borders with Noida and Ghaziabad of UP. Our intelligence and coordination with these zones are proper. Our security arrangements are intact..."

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher says, "...We will have discussions over the incident that took place in Khanauri. There will be a two-day stay on our march towards Delhi. We will clarify the entire situation later as to what our further movement will be..."

In the wake of ongoing farmers' protest and upcoming festival season, Deputy Commissioner of Police Delhi (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said “We have made strict security arrangements in view of the festivals. We have deployed personnel across the district and have deployed drones for surveillance. We are also conducting anti-sabotage checks in market areas. For farmers’ protest, we are taking intelligence inputs from adjoining border districts of UP. We have placed barricades at highways as well as other intersections.”

"A 23-year-old from Bathinda district was shot during police firing, there is a video of it and I have seen it. Unfortunately, all these protesters were in Punjab territory and none of them didn’t do anything wrong but the kind of action Haryana forces are taking on the peaceful protesters is condemnable. I want to say to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Ji, you should stand with farmers. I also demand that an FIR should be registered against the Home Minister of Haryana Anil Vij in Punjab police station as the police firing is happening and he is the Home Minister, it’s his moral responsibility....," said Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa as quoted by news agency ANI.