Ten days after unprecedented violence during a farmers' tractor rally marred India's Republic Day celebrations in parts of Delhi, the protesters observed a three-hour chakka jam (road block) across the country amid high alert in the national capital today.
Highways across north India, including the Eastern Peripheral Expressway around Delhi were blocked by farmers protesting against the centre's three farm laws passed in September.
In Bengaluru, 30 people were taken into preventive custody.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said Saturday afternoon that farmers will not return home till their demands are met, and will not be pressured into holding talks with the centre.
Meanwhile, India's COVID-19 infection tally climbed to 1,08,14,304 with 11,713 new cases in a day, while 1,05,10,796 people have recuperated so far pushing the national recovery rate to 97.19 per cent on Saturday, according to Union Health Ministry data.
There are 1,48,590 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which accounts for 1.37 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.
The total coronavirus cases mounted to 1,08,14,304 and the death count climbed to 1,54,918 with the novel coronavirus virus claiming 95 lives in a span of 24 hours in the country, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The COVID-19 case fatality rate stood at 1.43 per cent.
Here are the Highlights on Farmers' Chakka jam:
Odisha: The Second Phase of the #COVID19 vaccination immunisation drive gets underway in Bhubaneswar (6.2.2021)
- ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2021
Visuals from earlier in the day pic.twitter.com/5jFpB784Ef
West Bengal on Saturday registered only one fresh COVID-19 fatality, the lowest since April last year, a health bulletin said.
The fresh fatality, reported in South 24 Parganas district, pushed the state's coronavirus death count to 10,202, it said.
The state's caseload rose to 5,71,178 as 197 more people tested positive for the infection, it said.
As many as 293 more people were cured of the disease, taking the recovery rate among the coronavirus patients in the state to 97.36 per cent, the bulletin said.
On Saturday, over 9,500 beneficiaries were given the shots, including frontline workers. The turnout was about 53 per cent.
"The target was 17,900 and 9,510 people got vaccinated, with AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) in nine persons," a senior official said.
"To fight for farmers' interests, to raise the voice of farmers in the struggle for the repeal of the three back laws, Rahul Gandhi ji will be in Rajasthan on February 12-13," the AICC in-charge of Rajasthan said in a tweet in Hindi.
A ''Kisan Mahapanchayat'' was held in Rajasthan's Dausa on Friday in solidarity with the farmers camping on the borders of Delhi. The resolution passed at the meet reiterated the farmers' demand for the repeal of the three new farm laws.
Mr Badal also asked Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to name one political party which is representative of farmers and has welcomed the three laws, instead of trying to "mislead" people in Parliament by giving the impression that the laws were acceptable to all.
Mr Tomar on Friday had asserted that the government's offer to amend the new farm laws to assuage farmers' sentiments did not mean they had any flaws.
The protesters were from different organisations, they said.
They were detained around 12.30 pm and later released in the evening, police said.
The police team arrived at Puranpur adjoining Shahjahanpur and served notice on granthi Gurtej Singh, asking him to come to Delhi for recording his statement, area SHO Suresh Kumar Singh said over the phone.
The police team served notice on the granthi of a gurdwara in the Ghunghchai chowki area, saying that a tractor from the gurdwara had gone to Delhi, the SHO said. The team later left for Shahjahanpur, he said.
The normal flow of traffic was disrupted in several areas but no untoward incident was reported.
National highways were blocked at various places in several districts like Palamu, Deoghar, Dhanbad, Hazaribag, Ranchi and Koderma for some time from noon, Inspector General of Police Saket Kumar Singh said.
During talks, Tomar sahib said he was ready to make amendments to remove whatever was problematic in the laws. But yesterday, he said the laws are in interests of the farmers, which is a lie. We condemn it: Krantikari Kisan Union leader Darshan Pal Singh pic.twitter.com/gPIKQSz7Ig
- ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2021
"Tomorrow evening, I would be in Haldia, West Bengal. At a programme there, will dedicate to the nation the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) import terminal built by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL). Will also dedicate to the nation Dobhi-Durgapur Natural Gas Pipeline section of the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga project," PM Modi said in a tweet in Bengali and English on Saturday.
Addressing the rally, Maharashtra Congress leader Naseem Khan said the BJP-led Centre, rather than trying to find a solution, was trying to insinuate that the protests underway for several days near Delhi were being backed by Khalistani elements.
People should come together and overthrow this "dictatorial" Union government, Mr Khan added.
Mr Yadav met representatives of various trade and social organisations at the BJP's Gujarat state headquarter.
He said the Budget was welcomed by all sectors and it will strengthen the resolve of self-reliant India and create a base for the country's progress.
We did not participate in the "chakka jam" (road blockade) but handed over memoranda to the district magistrates in different districts of the state, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Alok Verma said.
As of 6th Feb 2021 at 6 pm, the total vaccination is 56,36,868, out of which healthcare workers who have been vaccinated are 52,66,175 which is 54.7% of the total cohort of healthcare workers who are registered on CoWIN: Manohar Agnani, Additional Secretary, Union Health Ministry pic.twitter.com/aWBiVczLOF
- ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2021
On Friday, over 9,200 healthcare workers had received COVID-19 vaccine shots in Delhi during the third week of the inoculation drive, registering a turnout of more than 50 per cent.
"The total number of people vaccinated against COVID-19 so far has crossed 1,00,000-mark," a senior official said.
Vaccination of frontline workers has also started, he said.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan reviewed status & progress of #COVID19 vaccination, with states/UTs. They were urged to exponentially increase the pace of vaccination. Beneficiaries of inaugural vaccination day to start getting second dose on 13th Feb: Ministry of Health pic.twitter.com/VFdz2aZbhT
- ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2021
High-speed mobile internet services were restored last midnight in 18 districts. The services were there in two districts - Ganderbal and Udhampur - since August last year.
"It is better late than never. The government has realised how much loss our economy has suffered. This move will give a boost to the economic recovery now," president, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Sheikh Aashiq told news agency PTI.
The ambulance was stuck in the traffic caused due to blockage of roads and highways.
Karan Singh Dalal, member of the Haryana Legislative Assembly from the Indian National Congress told ANI, "Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is conspiring to destroy the farmers' protest. We all are protesting peacefully here and will continue to do so."
The Youth Congress workers staged the protest outside the state Secretariat.
Earlier on January 12, Congress MLA Shafi Paramapil had given them notice to move an adjournment motion against the alleged backdoor appointments conducted by the government instead of recruiting candidates from the Public Service Commission (PSC) rank list.
The number of people inoculated against the pandemic disease in Uttar Pradesh till Saturday is highest in the country, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said.
The first dose of Covid vaccine is being given to people in the state and on Friday, a total of 84,109 healthcare and frontline workers were given the vaccine shots, he added.
"The traffic movement is normal and the life is going on as usual here," Delhi Police Public Relation Officer (PRO) Chinmoy Biswal told ANI, adding that no violent incidents took place in Delhi.
"The Chakka Jaam call wasn't for Delhi but in the wake of January 26 violence, we had made heavy security arrangements," he said.
"Security was further tightened at Delhi's border areas where farmers gathered in large numbers. The security forces are still deployed at the protest site," the official added.
Addressing a public rally in the presence of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, he said the proposal to raise the minimum wage of tea labourers will be approved in the next cabinet meeting.
"Wait for 10 more days. We will issue a notification to increase your wages. After the next cabinet meeting, you'll hear good news," he said.
"We demand implementation of Swaminathan report and guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) as well as repealing the farm laws," said Kulwant Singh, member of Jammu Kashmir Kisaan Vikaas Front.
The protestors blocked the Jammu-Pathankot highway which affected the traffic movement.
At least 40 protesters, including senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan's wife Satvasheela Chavan and farmers, were detained by the police for holding the protest on a busy road at Kolhapur Naka in Karad in western Maharashtra this afternoon, a police official said.
They were detained under sections 68 and 69 of the Mumbai Police Act and released, he said.
Issuing an advisory, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Haryana, Navdeep Singh Virk said that cybercriminals may defraud citizens through phone calls, emails and social media applications and steal personal details in the pretext of vaccine registration.
The senior police officer advised the people to exercise caution and not to entertain any phone calls on the vaccine registration.
Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat in an order passed on February 4 said that the gravity of the offence and the allegations against the accused are quite grave, adding that the conduct of the accused showed that he does not satisfy the triple test for the grant of bail.
"In view of the above discussion, I am not inclined to grant the relief prayed for. Accordingly, the bail application under Section 439 Cr. P.C of accused Shahrukh Pathan @ Khan stands dismissed," the court said in its order.
Ludhiana: Huge gathering at Ludhiana-Ferozepur Highway have Langar following the 'chakka jaam' called by farmers.
- ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2021
The 'chakka jaam' was held from 12 to 3 pm today blocking the national & state highways across the country. pic.twitter.com/MDtdGQvEkd
"Farmers are on streets for 71 days, they are struggling. On one hand, the government is ready for talks, while on other hand they are withdrawing water connection, electricity connection. They are harassing the farmers, how can a democratic government act like this?" asked Mr Venugopal.
Telangana: Police removed the protesters who were agitating on a highway on the outskirts of Hyderabad as part of the countrywide 'chakka jaam' called by farmers today.#FarmLaws pic.twitter.com/kdWepxOeh3
- ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2021
Delhi: Personnel of Security Forces including that of Rapid Action Force deployed at Ghazipur border (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh).
- ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2021
Around 50,000 personnel of Delhi Police, Paramilitary & Reserve Forces have been deployed in Delhi-NCR region, as per Delhi Police. pic.twitter.com/PBZleWSQOY
#WATCH: Heavy security deployment at Ghazipur border (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh), in view of protests against the farm laws.
- ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2021
(Video source: Delhi Police) pic.twitter.com/yyQGSj393R
Bengaluru: Police detain the protesters who were agitating outside Yelahanka Police Station against the farm laws as part of the countrywide 'chakka jaam' called by farmers today.
- ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2021
#Karnataka pic.twitter.com/NQz9WlmC21
Bengaluru: Police detain the protesters who were agitating outside Yelahanka Police Station against the farm laws as part of the countrywide 'chakka jaam' called by farmers today.
- ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2021
#Karnataka pic.twitter.com/NQz9WlmC21
J&K: Farmer organisations in Jammu stage protest on Jammu-Pathankot highway as part of the nationwide 'chakka jaam' called by farmers today.
- ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2021
"We appeal to the govt to repeal these laws. We support the farmers protesting on the borders of Delhi," says a protester pic.twitter.com/cpnLBt3TTl
Security Update
- Delhi Metro Rail Corporation I कृपया मास्क पहनें😷 (@OfficialDMRC) February 6, 2021
Entry/exit gates of Vishwavidyalaya station are closed.
Security Update
- Delhi Metro Rail Corporation I कृपया मास्क पहनें😷 (@OfficialDMRC) February 6, 2021
Entry/exit gates of Lal Quila, Jama Masjid, Janpath and Central Secretariat are closed.
Interchange facility is available.
Entry and exit gates of Mandi House, ITO and Delhi Gate are closed: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.
Security Update
- Delhi Metro Rail Corporation I कृपया मास्क पहनें😷 (@OfficialDMRC) February 6, 2021
Entry/exit gates of Mandi House, ITO and Delhi Gate are closed.
To assist Delhi Police in maintaining law and order situation amid 'Chakka Jaam' call by farmers, Paramilitary Forces have been deployed at various parts of Delhi-NCR including borders. pic.twitter.com/J9Js2LLH1B
- ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2021
Delhi: Security tightened, in the light of 'Chakka Jaam' appeals by farmer unions protesting the farm laws
- ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2021
Visuals from the ITO area with barbed wires placed over police barricades pic.twitter.com/4RcDLVv4ZZ