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Farmers announce 3-hour nationwide chakka jam on Feb 6

Farmer unions protesting against three contentious farm laws on Monday announced three-hour nationwide road blockade on state highway and national highways

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Farmer unions protesting against three contentious farm laws on Monday announced three-hour nationwide road blockade on state highways and national highways on February 6 in protest against the suspension of internet at their agitation sites and alleged harassment meted out to them by authorities.

The Union leaders in a press conference at the Singhu border said that they will block the roads between 12 pm to 3 pm on February 6. The farmer unions also alleged that they have been ignored in the Union Budget 2021-22, and the water supply have been cut off at their protest sites.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha alleged that the Twitter accounts of Kisan Ekta Morcha and a user named ‘Tractor2Twitter’ have been restricted. Farmer leader Darshan Pal said the announcement of the Chakka Jam has been made to protest against the government’s repressive measures against the protesters and reduction of budgetary allocation for the agriculture sector.

On Monday, over 100 twitter accounts related to the farmers’ protest went off the microblogging platform as the Information Technology Ministry ordered Twitter to remove these accounts under section 69A of the Information Technology Act. The suspended accounts included those of Kisan Ekta Morcha, The Caravan Magazine, Prasar Bharti CEO Sashi Shekhar among others. 

According to the sources, the withheld accounts had tweeted against Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the hashtags like #ModiPlanningFarmerGenocide. However, Twitter later unwithheld the accounts on grounds of freedom of speech and presence of newsworthy elements.

Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said farmers coming to join the agitation by trains were also being harassed, hence a protest will be staged against all these atrocities in the form of a three-hour chakka jam across the nation.

The Punjab Mail was diverted while another train, running via Punjab and Haryana and headed to Old Delhi, was short-terminated at Bahadurgarh on Monday, allegedly to prevent farmers from reaching Delhi to join the ongoing protests.

Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav had claimed that the action against the Twitter account was taken on the request of government authorities. He also said the Union government has reduced the allocation to the farm sector in this budget, when people hoped they would keep something for farmers as it was being presented during the agitation.

Also Read: Rajya Sabha adjourned twice as opposition walks out demanding debate on farm laws

In the Budget 2021-22, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had proposed giving the APMCs mandis and the minimum support price provisions to the agriculture market. However, the union government has reduced its fund allocation for agriculture and allied sectors by Rs 6,000 crore, i.e reduced from 5.1% last year to 4.3% this year.

Meanwhile, a slew of measures came into effect on Monday by authorities in a bid to deter the protest even as the farmers announced nationwide blockade on Saturday. From embedding spikes on roads, extending internet ban in seven Haryana districts by another 24-hours to diverting Delhi-bound trains, the authorities have been trying every possible way to stop the farmers from entering the national capital. 

More than 2,000 iron nails have been embedded in rows across the breadth of Rohtak Road at the Tikri protest side. Also, several layers of security including metal barricading, barricading by stone boulders and concrete barricading have been used to fortify the security at the Delhi side of the border with Haryana. 

Also Read: Union Budget 2021: Social media flooded with memes, jokes

The suspension of mobile internet services have been extended till 5pm on Tuesday in seven districts of Haryana to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order, according to the police official. Kaithal, Panipat, Jind, Rohtak, Charkhi Dadri, Sonipat and Jhajjar districts in Haryana will face internet suspension till 5 pm today.

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Man attempting to cross India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan shot dead by BSF personnel

“We are investigating the case under these acts,” he added.

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Border Security Force (BSF) personnel shot and killed an individual attempting to cross the India-Pakistan border in the Ganganagar district of Rajasthan late on Tuesday, according to police.

Jitendra Kumar, the station house officer at Kesrisinghpur police station, stated that the man was trying to breach the barbed wire fence when he was spotted by BSF personnel. “They advised him to leave the area, but when he continued to advance, the BSF personnel shot him,” said the SHO.

Sriganganagar Superintendent of Police Gaurav Yadav confirmed that the suspect was allegedly trying to enter Indian territory around midnight on December 24, 2024. Despite warnings from the BSF soldiers, he did not heed their calls, which resulted in the shooting.

The incident occurred near a village in the Kesarisinghpur area. Items recovered from the intruder included Pakistani currency notes, a cigarette packet, an identity card, and other belongings. Authorities are currently gathering more information about him.

Ongoing discussions are taking place between the armed forces and police officers regarding the incident. An FIR has been filed that includes charges of trespassing and violations of the Passports Act and the Foreigners Act, according to Kumar. “We are investigating the case under these acts,” he added.

This incident is one of several similar occurrences along the border. In August, the BSF apprehended an intruder named Jagsi Kohli, who had entered about 15 kilometers into Indian territory in Barmer after locals alerted authorities that he was asking for directions to Tharparkar, a district in Pakistan’s Sindh province.

In March of this year, another person attempting to cross the border in Ganganagar was shot by BSF personnel. There have been additional incidents reported in October 2022 and twice in March 2021, all resulting in fatalities among the intruders.

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Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Chandrababu Naidu among leaders at NDA meet in Delhi amid Ambedkar row

The alliance had decided to convene on the birthday of the late BJP leader, noted for successfully leading the first coalition government to complete its term.

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief J.P. Nadda and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu among leaders of the NDA met in New Delhi on Wednesday to discuss different issues including Shah’s comment on BR Ambedkar days ago in Rajya Sabha.

In attendance, apart from Shah, Nadda and Naidu, JD-U leader and Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Apna Dal (S) president and Union minister Anupriya Patel, as well as JD (S) leader and Union minister H.D. Kumaraswamy were present.

Also present were Jitan Ram Manjhi, leader of Bihar’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (S) and a minister in the Modi government, Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) president Upendra Kushwaha, a Rajya Sabha MP, and Thushar Vellappally, president of Bharath Dharma Jana Sena.

While the specific agenda of the meeting was not officially disclosed, sources indicated that discussions revolved around good governance and various political issues—principles that were central to Vajpayee’s tenure as Prime Minister. The alliance had decided to convene on the birthday of the late BJP leader, noted for successfully leading the first coalition government to complete its term.

Following the meeting, Nadda shared on X, “Attended the NDA leaders’ meeting in New Delhi today. Under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi, India is achieving unprecedented milestones and has positioned itself as a global superpower. The NDA government remains committed to realizing the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat@2047’, ensuring a brighter and more prosperous future for all.”

Sanjay Nishad, chief of the NISHAD Party in Uttar Pradesh, described the meeting as “informal” and focused on Vajpayee’s legacy. He emphasised the importance of unity among all alliance members heading into future elections, mentioning that they congratulated the BJP leaders for their electoral victories in Haryana and Maharashtra.

Nishad further outlined that the meeting addressed coalition strategies to ensure that Prime Minister Modi’s initiatives effectively reach the populace and that electoral promises are fulfilled. He raised the topic of providing reservations for the fishing community, stating, “I presented evidence on this issue, as it was a poll promise. They will follow up with us next week to discuss it.”

Responding to inquiries about whether Amit Shah’s controversial remarks on Ambedkar were discussed, Nishad said, “We are here for the welfare of the people. Our energy should focus on achieving success in that area, rather than engaging with negativity from opposition parties.”

The NDA meeting underscores the alliance’s commitment to the proposed simultaneous elections, with all members backing the initiative. A Joint Committee of Parliament, established to review two bills related to simultaneous polls, is set to convene on January 8.

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Manipur CM Biren Singh says state needs immediate peace, understanding between two communities

He claimed that the administration is responding quickly to the displaced people’s needs in areas such as education and agriculture.

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Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday emphasised the urgent need for peace in the state, which has faced ethnic violence since May of last year, and called on two communities to reach a mutual understanding.

Speaking at the Good Governance Day event held at the state BJP headquarters, Singh expressed confidence that the BJP could restore stability to the northeastern state, highlighting the party’s commitment to coexisting harmoniously.

“What is happening in Manipur today has multiple causes. Those who seek to divide the state are now questioning the government’s actions… they are driven by a desire for power,” Singh remarked.

He mentioned several initiatives, such as ‘Meeyamgi Numit’ (People’s Day), designed to foster closer relationships between officials and the public. “We do not oppose any specific community. The BJP’s position is clear: we advocate for the idea of living together and have initiated efforts to strengthen ties between the police and the community,” he stated.

Singh added that the state government is diligently addressing the needs of internally displaced persons by establishing committees throughout the administrative framework. He claimed that the administration is responding quickly to the displaced people’s needs in areas such as education and agriculture.

“We have not made any mistakes. Our goal is to ensure the well-being of future generations. It is essential for both communities to remain calm. Rather than dwelling on the past, we should concentrate on the upcoming NRC process, capturing biometrics, and using 1961 as the foundation year for the Inner Line Permit,” Singh said.

He also highlighted the government’s commitment to acting within a democratic and constitutional framework, noting that achieving these goals will take time. “What we require now is immediate peace and a resolution of misunderstandings between the two communities,” he concluded.

The ongoing violence has resulted in the deaths of over 250 individuals and left thousands homeless due to clashes between the Meitei community and Kuki-Zo groups since last May.

“Only the BJP can save Manipur. BJP leaders possess strong values of nationalism and social justice, practicing reality-based politics in the nation’s interest. If I am not nominated for a ticket by the BJP, I will remain loyal to the party,” Mr. Singh added.

He also highlighted several unity-focused projects initiated by the BJP government, mentioning that a Unity Mall featuring stalls from all ethnic groups in the state will be constructed with an investment exceeding ₹140 crores.

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