SAD Chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Meets Rakesh Tikait at Ghazipur Border, Says Our Party Stands With Farmers

The Delhi Police has till Saturday registered at least 38 cases and arrested 84 people in connection with the violence in the national capital on Republic Day.

Farmers’ Protest, 31 January 2021: The Delhi Police has till Saturday registered at least 38 cases and arrested 84 people in connection with the violence in the national capital on Republic Day. Cases were also filed against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, India Today senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, the Caravan and others for allegedly misleading the public regarding the death of a protester at ITO during the violence on Republic Day. Independent journalists Mandeep Punia and Dharmendra Singh were also arrested at Singhu border last evening. Prominent Gurjar leader of western Uttar Pradesh Madan Bhaiyya has extended his community’s support to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) in its ongoing protest against the new three farm laws. Earlier, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait charged at the Centre asking why it does not want to repeal the farm laws despite the farmers repeatedly demanding. He further promised that they will not let the government bow its head before the world.

Notably, as the agitation intensified at Delhi borders near Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur, internet services were suspended till Sunday night in order to maintain public safety and averting public emergency. Around 3,000 security personnel including those from the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), Rapid Action Force (RAF) in anti-riot gears and civil police, have been deployed at the protest sites.

Here are the latest updates on farmers’ protest:

20.45 PM:

The Opposition leaders must be coming out of empathy. There's no point for them to look for votes here. We will talk to the government as we believe that the issue can only be solved with dialogue: Rakesh Tikait Bharatiya Kisan Union leader pic.twitter.com/Vr0l5l8rxL

— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2021

20.15 PM:

These bills will neither affect APMC nor MSP. I think Sharad Pawar Sahab has been misinformed about the facts of the bill. I hope he will understand the correct facts and change his stand: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2021

18.30 PM: “I congratulate Rakesh Tikait ji for his fight against the farm laws. All farmers are grateful to him, our party stands with him,” says Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal at Ghazipur border.

18.20 PM: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal meets Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait at Ghazipur (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh) border.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal meets Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait at Ghazipur (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh) border. pic.twitter.com/WAHI5ZDJlw

— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2021

17.30 PM: New laws facilitate promotion of additional choice channel for farmers with choice to sell their produce to anyone, anywhere with hassle free movement in & outside state to realize competitive and better net price for their produce. This doesn’t affect current MSP system, says Tomar.

17.00 PM: Under new ecosystem, mandis are not affected. Instead, they will be more competitive and cost-effective in terms of services and infrastructure; and both the systems will synergistically co-exist for the common interest of farmers, says Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

16.40 PM: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar reacts to Shard Pawar’s tweets on Centre’s new farm laws.

Since he speaks with some experience and expertise on the issue, it was dismaying to see his tweets employ a mix of ignorance & misinformation on the agriculture reforms. Let me take this opportunity to present some facts: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar pic.twitter.com/UokGOWZQEq

— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2021

16.00 PM: Aam Aadmi Party’s Raghav Chadha writes to Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh saying,” AAP demands that you deploy Punjab Police in sufficient numbers to surround the camps where the peaceful protests are being held from all sides.”

Aam Aadmi Party's Raghav Chadha writes to Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh saying," AAP demands that you deploy Punjab Police in sufficient numbers to surround the camps where the peaceful protests are being held from all sides." #Delhi pic.twitter.com/gihnYSBuW5

— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2021

15.31 PM: Visuals from Farmers’ Protest at Ghazipur border

Protest at Ghazipur (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh) border against the Centre's three farm laws continues for the 65th day. pic.twitter.com/0UDHD8FQhx

— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2021

15.18 PM:

Most of the farmers have remained peaceful, I appeal to them to negotiate with the government. Also, I want to caution that no movement in the world can be sorted through suppression: Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik

— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2021

14.09 PM:

There won't be any agreement under pressure. We will hold discussions on the issue, Prime Minister is ours also, we are thankful for his initiative, we will respect it. We want our people to be released: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait https://t.co/K4oi2VcQnW pic.twitter.com/pyfSHpfH5X

— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2021

13.14 PM: Rakesh Tikait Slams PM Modi’s Tricolour Remark

“With respect to the PM, we want a solution to the issue of farmers. However, we will not hold talks with the government at gunpoint. Farmers are ready to hold talks only if the Centre does not put prior conditions in front of us (Rough translation),” the BKU leader further said.

13.10 PM: Rakesh Tikait Slams PM Modi’s Tricolour Remark

“The national flag belongs to all. The government should nab those who insulted it,” Tikait asserted, responding to PM Modi’s comment during his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ speech where he said the whole country is “saddened” after the insult of the Tricolour.

13.02 PM: Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh calls for meeting on February 2 to reach consensus on farmers’ protest.

11.15 AM: Thousands of farmers are marching from Muzaffarnagar to Ghazipur border to join the farmers’ protest at Delhi borders.

11.11 AM: “In the time to come, we have to fill ourselves with new hope and innovation. We introduced extraordinary restraint and courage last year. This year too, we have to work hard to prove our resolutions, PM said.

11.07 AM: PM Modi Condemns R-Day Violence

“The nation was shocked to witness the insult of the Tricolour on January 26,” PM Modi says during his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address. Notably, this is the first ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio session of the year.

10.51 AM: Without naming him, Madan Bhaiyya on Saturday hit out at BJP’s Loni MLA Nand Kishor Gurjar, who has been accused by farmers of orchestrating violence at the Ghazipur protest site on January 26, saying he indulged in “anti-farmer acts”. Madan Bhaiyya said the farmers at Delhi’s borders have been protesting for two months now and braving the cold to highlight their demand for the rollback of the new laws and their movement is non-political and peaceful.

Nand Kishor, however, has denied the allegations.

10.46 AM: Visuals from Ghazipur border

Latest visuals from Ghazipur at Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border where farmers' agitation against three farm laws enters Day 65. pic.twitter.com/JNK5pibR3z

— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2021

10.40 AM: Heavy security deployment continues at Singhu border.

Delhi: Security deployment continues at Singhu border as farmers' protest against three agriculture laws enters 67th day; latest visuals from near the protest site. pic.twitter.com/tEUzhpjwjS

— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2021