A tense situation prevailed at Delhi-Haryana border in Singhu after some people claiming to be "locals" threw stones at farmers protesting there and even tried to uproot their tents. The sudden violence at the protest site this afternoon, which has been tense, prompted the police to use tear gas shells and farmers to appeal for calm.
Delhi's border points at Tikri and Singhu have been under heavy police deployment since morning in the aftermath of the violence that broke out during a tractor parade by farmers in the national capital on Republic Day. Personnel of the Delhi Police, along with those of the paramilitary forces, have been deployed at the borders. Tense standoff was also witnessed at Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border at Ghazipur as farmers refused to budge as police tried to evict them. Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait has declared that he is "ready to face bullets" if needed.
The government is trying to tackle misgivings over farm laws at the root of the agitation, President Ram Nath Kovind today told parliament. "Farmers recently carried out a tractor rally. However, there was violence during the protests and there were incidents of insulting that national flag at Red Fort on Republic Day. This was very unfortunate," President Kovind said while addressing a joint sitting of parliament on the opening day of the Budget session.
Here are the live updates on farmers' protest at Delhi border:
Farmers protesting against the Centre's agricultural laws will observe "Sadbhavna Diwas" on Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary on January 30 and hold a day-long fast, farm union leaders said on Friday.
Addressing a press conference at Delhi's Singhu border, the farmer leaders said the fast will be held from 9 AM to 5 PM and appealed to the people of the country to join them.
The farmer leaders also slammed the ruling BJP at the Centre and accused it of trying to "destroy" the "peaceful" agitation against the laws.
The Congress hit out at the Centre on Friday over the farmers' protest against the new farm laws, with former party president Rahul Gandhi alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "weakening" India by "attacking" farmers.
The remarks by Mr Gandhi came a day after the Congress alleged that the government was trying to divide and intimidate the farmers to break their protest against the three laws.
"PM is weakening India by attacking our farmers and workers. Only anti-national forces will benefit," Mr Gandhi tweeted.
Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday evening accused Rahul Gandhi of "declaring war on the people of India". This was hours after the Congress MP warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the farmers' protest against the agriculture laws - which has so far been limited to Delhi and nearby regions - could spread to other states if the centre did not repeal the controversial laws.
"Rahul Gandhi today declared war on the people of India. He said that if his political stand is not supported by the PM of our country, then cities will burn! I appeal to every Indian citizen to ensure that Rahul Gandhi's call for violence is met with sustained peace," Ms Irani declared.
The Shiromani Akali Dal on Friday appealed to its workers to reach the three main farmers' protest sites near Delhi - Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur - to support the agitation against the central agriculture laws, and alleged the centre has been trying to "crush" the protests by unfair means.
The appeal comes on a day when around 200 people clashed with the protesting farmers at the Singhu border - the epicentre of the agitation - demanding they cleared the area. They threw stones and vandalised tents erected by the farmers. Two policemen were injured in the violence.
It is unclear how these people entered the highly cordoned off area. Read
Veteran social activist Anna Hazare has cancelled his planned fast against the three central agricultural laws. He announced his decision today in the presence of senior BJP leader and former Maharashtra chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis.
"I have been doing andolan (agitation) on various issues for a long time. It is not a crime to protest peacefully...I have been raising the farmers' issue for three years... they die by suicide because they don't get the right prices for their crops...the government has decided to increase the MSP (Minimum Support Price) by 50 percent - I have got the letter," he told reporters.
"Since the centre decided to work on these 15 issues (his demands for farmers), I cancelled tomorrow's fast," he added. Read
Social activist Anna Hazare has cancelled his fast, he has now come in support of farm laws.
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Modi ji and Yogi ji and all others must listen carefully, farmers will not go back from this movement, humiliated and defamed: Yogendra Yadav, Swaraj Party, at a farmers' rally at Delhi-UP border pic.twitter.com/tnzcKv7LBg
- ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2021
- As for the violence at Red Fort, who permitted farmers to enter the Red Fort? Is it not the Home Ministry's job to ensure that such a mob is not allowed to enter the Red Fort.
- Instead of doing something for the farmers and help them get the best, the government is threatening them, beating them and sending agencies after them
- If left to the farmers, they will not be able to negotiate with big marketing companies and big buyers. Farmers will be at a loss.
- My message to the farmers is that please fight for your right. Do not step back.
- We are with you and this is a fight for your future. There are those who are trying to steal your future, do not let them do that. We are in your support and will help you in whatever way we can
- This anger will spread from villages to cities, from farmers to the people in urban centres. And this will keep spreading from state to state and city to city and will prove to be disastrous for the nation.
- This is the voice of the people. The PM must listen to the voice of the people. I have over 15 years of experience in politics. I can foresee this being flared up even further.
- People are angry and that anger is spreading. The PM is only helping 5-10 people in the country. They are stealing from farmers, from small businesses and from workers in cities. PM Modi is helping these thieves to enter the homes of our farmers.
The police has been trying to keep the vandals away from the protesting farmers. Two other key border points - Tikri and the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border at Ghazipur - have also been placed under heavy security and remain tense.
All members of the public including media persons who are witnesses to the incidents of January 26 and have captured any activity on their mobile/phones/ pictures are requested to forward to the contact numbers: Delhi Police pic.twitter.com/VKOXcT91nX
- ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2021
A group of over 200 people threw stones and vandalised tents erected by farmers at the Delhi-Haryana border in Singhu, the epicenter of farmers' protests since over two months. A police official was injured with a sword in the violence. The sudden violence this afternoon at the protest site, which has been tense since the Republic Day violence, prompted the police to use tear gas shells and resort to lathi-charge. Farmers too appealed for calm."
DJB water tankers weren't allowed. Media vans weren't allowed.
- Arvind Gunasekar (@arvindgunasekar) January 29, 2021
How was this group claiming to be 'locals' allowed to enter Singhu border protest site with this vehicle ? pic.twitter.com/hz4vMXliwc
#SinghuBorder: Clashes at farmers' protest site after group barges in, cop injured
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 29, 2021
NDTV's Arvind Gunasekar reports pic.twitter.com/dm0axZUx8P
The @bijnorpolice chief saying here that 'action' will be taken against any farmer going to the @RakeshTikaitBKU led protest on the Delhi border . 'Sec 144' , 'unlawful protest site' , 'covid 19' given as reasons ... bijnor is a west UP district about 150 odd kms from Delhi ... pic.twitter.com/6ZzZ1vQjo6
- Alok Pandey (@alok_pandey) January 29, 2021
UP Govt had said from the beginning that we'll find solution by talking to farmers. Everything so far has been done in accordance with it. Tightening of security yesterday or today was done to see that no rowdy element enters into protest to disturb atmosphere: ADG (Law & Order) pic.twitter.com/aA4oTr6xTU
- ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 29, 2021
सिंघू बार्डर पर दिल्ली जल बोर्ड के पानी के टैंकरों को अंदर जाने से रोक दिया गया है, दिल्ली जलबोर्ड प्रमुख @raghav_chadha @SatyendarJain खुद टैंकरों को लेकर पहुंचे हैं जिन्हें रोक दिया गया है @ndtv pic.twitter.com/vSRRysopAN
- Saurabh shukla (@Saurabh_Unmute) January 29, 2021
गाज़ीपुर बॉर्डर पर भाजपा की उत्तर प्रदेश सरकारने किसानों की बिजली और पानी बंद कर दिया था।
- AAP (@AamAadmiParty) January 29, 2021
दिल्ली के मुख्यमंत्री @ArvindKejriwal ने तुरंत आदेश देकर किसानों के लिए बिजली और पानी मुहैय्या करवाया। : @msisodia pic.twitter.com/NAGjwr2jZQ
आज गाजीपुर बॉर्डर पर जन सैलाब आएगा ..
- Naresh Tikait (@NareshTikait_) January 29, 2021
Heavy deployment of Rapid Action Force and Delhi Police personnel at #SinghuBorder.
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 29, 2021
NDTV's Arvind Gunasekar reports from ground zero pic.twitter.com/vSMwlS2ABV
"We couldn't bear to see tears in #RakeshTikait's eyes," says a farmer who reached borders overnight to join #farmersprotest
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 29, 2021
NDTV's Akshay Dongare reports from #ghazipurborder pic.twitter.com/eOtk81tdlD
PM हमारे किसान-मज़दूर पर वार करके भारत को कमज़ोर कर रहे हैं।
- Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 29, 2021
फ़ायदा सिर्फ़ देश-विरोधी ताक़तों का होगा।
#FarmersProtest | "The law is clear that the so-called leaders who called for the protests will be held responsible for January 26 violence": Desh Ratan Nigam, Political Analyst pic.twitter.com/SzFxnVB2PO
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 29, 2021
LIVE visuals | Heavy deployment of Rapid Action Force and Delhi Police personnel at #TikriBorder. Cement barricades put up between cops and protesters. pic.twitter.com/XslU6q3Y6N
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 29, 2021
Police presence continues at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border) as the farmers' agitation against the three farm laws continues. Latest visuals from the spot. pic.twitter.com/404XtyWnZS
- ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2021
"Tractors will come back again," says farmer leader Rakesh Tikait of Bharatiya Kisan Union to NDTV's Saurabh Shukla#FarmersProtest #TractorRally pic.twitter.com/FWHCyKcQVA
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 29, 2021
राकेश टिकैत के रोने के बाद माहौल बदल गया है, मुज़फ़्फ़रनगर के गांव सिसौली में राकेश और नरेश टिकैत के घर बाहर लोगों का हुजूम उमड़ पड़ा है, जो किसान चले गए हैं वो वापस आने की बात कर रहे हैं... pic.twitter.com/zhJV6UZE07
- Saurabh shukla (@Saurabh_Unmute) January 28, 2021
Traffic Alert
- Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) January 29, 2021
Gazipur border closed.Traffic diverted from NH 24, NH 9,Road no 56, 57 A,Kondli, Paper market, Telco T point,EDM Mall,Akshardham & Nizammudin Khatta.Traffic is very heavy in the area & Vikas marg, Pl take alternate route.
Farmers at Ghazipur border (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh) continue sit-in protest against the Centre's #FarmLaws pic.twitter.com/0W8Kz8i1OH
- ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2021
The PMO said in a release that the two leaders discussed the impact of the COVID pandemic in the region, and expressed satisfaction that cooperation between India and UAE had not halted even during the health crisis, ANI reported.
A spokeswoman for Belgium's Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AFMHPS) said the visit to the site in Seneffe took place at the request of the European Commission.
"We are now examining documents and data," Ann Eeckhout told AFP.
The 67-year-old is "very well" and performing his duties from the National Palace, said Olga Sanchez, who is standing in for Lopez Obrador at his daily news conference.
"As soon as the specialists give their approval, he will be back," she added. The health ministry reported on Wednesday that the president had experienced brief episodes of low-grade fever and a slight headache, but was making good progress, AFP reported.