Kisan Kranti Padyatra: Police use teargas shells and water cannons to disperse protesting farmers. (PTI)
Police are using tear gas and water cannons as thousands of thousands of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) members reached the National Capital today. The protesting farmers are coming to the capital with several demands including farm loan-waiver, friendly crop insurance and support for small and marginal farmers and to implement recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission.
The police had earlier issued prohibitory orders in east and north-east Delhi anticipating trouble. The rally is an echo of the massive protest of almost 5 lakh farmers spearheaded by BKU founder Mahendra Singh Tikait at Delhi's Boat Club in October 1988.
Here are the Highlights Of Farmers March:
Rapid Action Force arrives at UP-Delhi border where farmers have been stopped during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra'.
BREAKING: All schools and colleges to remain closed in Ghaziabad due to the protest.
The protesting farmers decided to stay put at the Delhi border, where they have been stopped by the police from entering the national capital.
Naresh Tikait, the chief of Bharat Kisan Union (BKU), which has given the protest call, said the farmers are "not satisfied" with the government's assurance.
Union minister of state for agriculture Rajendra Singh Shekhawat said the government was assuring the farmers to take forward their cause.
Rahul Gandhi led a foot march to mark the start of Mahatma Gandhi's 149th birth anniversary celebrations and to give a message against what the party called the "atmosphere of fear" in the country.
The Congress on Tuesday lashed out at the Modi government over the police action against farmers marching towards Delhi, saying "
the Baadshah in the Delhi Sultanate is drunk with power". Randeep Singh Surjewala said if the Centre can write off huge debt of a few industrialists why it could not waive the loans of farmers.
MoS Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat says that "Home Minister Rajnath Singh met the farmer's leaders and discussed their demands and have reached an agreement on the majority of the issues. Farmers' leaders, UP ministers Laxmi Narayan ji, Suresh Rana and I will go to meet farmers now."
ADG (Additional Director General) of UP Police Prashant Kumar has said that they are ready to allow 25 buses of farmers to the Kisan Ghat. The Union government is yet to agree on this.
BJP Government Supports Rich Friends, Says Youth Congress
The Congress party's young wing tweeted, "Is this the India Gandhiji dreamt and died for? Modi govt forcibly bans farmers from sharing their problems with the govt. Is India not a democracy? Just shows that BJP govt only supports their rich friends and no one else; not the youth, or women or farmers! Shame."
"Modi Goverment Is Anti-Farmers..": Sitaram Yechury
CPM leader Sitaram Yechury says, "It reconfirms the fact that Modi government is anti-farmers. Instead of providing relief to farmers they are exasperating the crisis further forcing farmers to be under debt burden and distress suicides. We haven't seen such an agrarian distress in India since independence."
Meeting of 16 Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) members is currently going with Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi. Suresh Rana, Sugarcane Minister, Uttar Pradesh and Lakshminarayan Singh, Dairy Minister of Uttar Pradesh are part of the meeting.
Protest march of 30,000 farmers is now stalled at Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in Ghazipur area. The farmers union is not ready for any compromise.
Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala says, "On birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Modi government has shown that it is no different from the pre-independence British government in India. British government then used to exploit the farmers and today Modi government is firing tear gas shells at farmers."
"Natural That Farmers Would Protest", Says Akhilesh Yadav
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav says, "This government has not fulfilled the promises it made to farmers, so it is all but natural that farmers would protest. It is unfortunate and we fully support the farmers."
"Farmers Should Be Allowed To Enter Delhi": Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says, "Farmers should be allowed to enter Delhi. Why are they not being allowed to enter Delhi? This is wrong. We are with the farmers."
Police use tear gas, water cannons to disperse protesting farmers after they broke barricades as they try to enter Delhi.
Visuals from Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border where farmers have been stopped during the
Kisan Kranti Yatra.
A memorandum to be submitted to the Centre includes 21 demands of farmers including implementation of the M.S. Swaminathan Commission report, waiver of farm loan, free electricity to farmers and allowing power connections to run tube wells.
Naresh Tikait, President, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) says, "Why have we been stopped at UP-Delhi border? The rally was proceeding in a disciplined manner. If we don't tell our government about our problems then whom do we tell? Do we go to Pakistan or Bangladesh?"
The protesters are marching towards the national capital with several demands including farm loan-waiver.
Farmers gather at Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border for
"Kisan Kranti Padyatra". It has been organised by the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU).