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.
Johnson & Johnson said on Friday that its single-dose vaccine was 66 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19 in a large global trial against multiple variants which will give health officials another weapon to tackle the coronavirus.
In the trial of nearly 44,000 volunteers, the level of protection against moderate and severe COVID-19 varied from 72 per cent in the United States, to 66 per cent in Latin America and just 57 per cent in South Africa, from where a worrying variant has spread.
A high bar has been set by two authorized vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, which were around 95 per cent effective in preventing symptomatic illness in pivotal trials when given in two doses.
- 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.
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."
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.