Farmers protest live updates: Maharashtra govt to probe celebrity tweets on farmers protest

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the TMC dispensation for not implementing central schemes in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday told the Assembly that her government has sent to the Centre names of 2.5 lakh farmers who are eligible for benefits under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana. She sought to know why the Union government has not disbursed any cash benefit to the beneficiaries as yet.

“We should all be clear that farmers are fighting for the welfare of the 'annadaata' at large and we should not try to divide this struggle by trying to limit it to one religion or community,” Badal appealed to the PM while adding that he should instead focus on ensuring “justice” to farmers.

"It is good that the government has made it clear that MSPs are there to stay...these laws have been brought for the betterment of farmers. Bihar is not affected by the controversy since we abolished APMCs long back," Nitish Kumar said.

Farmer leader Shiv Kumar Kakka, who is a senior member of the Samkyukta Kisan Morcha which is spearheading the ongoing stir, said they are ready for the next round of talks and the government should tell them the date and time of the meeting. "We have never refused to hold talks with the government. Whenever it has called us for dialogue, we held discussions with Union ministers. We are ready for talks with them (government)," Kakka told PTI.

The Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur borders will remain closed for traffic as farmers at the borders of the national capital continued their agitation against the Central farm laws."Tikri Border is close for traffic both carriage way, Jharoda Kalan border, Auchandi Border and Harewali close for both carriage way for traffic," the Delhi Traffic Police tweeted.Other borders including the Singhu, Piau Maniyari, Saboli and Mungeshpur borders will also remain closed while the Lampur, Safiabad, Singhu school and Palla toll tax borders are open.

Consumer affairs minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said the Centre was ready to engage with farmers’ unions but added that the representatives were not responding to proposals to fix problems, if any, with the farm laws.“The PM has said that the government is a phone call away but someone has to call to talk or move ahead. If farmers have any objection to the laws, then let us know and the government is willing to address that,” he said, adding that the government had proposed to suspend implementation of the laws for 18 months to address concerns.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a scathing attack on “international conspirators” who were out to discredit India – without directly taking the names of Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg who shared a “toolkit” in support of the ongoing farm protests and other global celebrities backing the agitation – and said the country will “respond to these conspiracies with all its might”.

A day after a flag with a portrait resembling Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was spotted in Punjab during 'chakka jam' by farmers, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday said that some people have been hatching 'criminal conspiracy' against the country in the guise of farmers' protest.

India’s February 3 statement meant to counter criticism of the government’s handling of farmers’ protests by iconic pop star Rihanna and others was, as it turns out, far from a one-off exercise. From reaching out to local media and intellectuals, to engaging international organisations like UN’s FAO and WTO, Indian missions are in the middle of an elaborate exercise to convince international influencers, and not just foreign governments, about the rationale for the farms laws.