Farmers protest live updates: 44 people arrested over Singhu border violence, say Delhi police

Delhi Police fired tear gas shells and also resorted to mild lathi-charge on Friday after the Delhi-Haryana's Singhu border witnessed clashes between the agitating farmers and the locals, who wanted the area to be cleared immediately. Hundreds of locals arrived at the famers protest site and things came to blows as they demanded the area to be vacated by the agitators who have been at the site for more than two months. Locals asked them to clear the spot alleging that their presence was creating trouble. After heated argument, the locals started attacking the tents of the farmers. Following this there was stone pelting between both the groups. The Delhi Police and the security personnel deployed at the Singhu border had to resort to firing tear gas shells to disperse the crowd at the protest site.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal alleged that the government is using brute force against the protesting farmers due to which they boycotted President Ram Nath Kovind's address to a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament on Friday. "Farmers are protesting for over six months and around 300 have lost their lives. The government did not listen to their demands and are now using force on them to end the movement. This is why all the opposition parties believe that farmers are being oppressed," he said outside the parliament. The SAD leader also said that farmers have been discussing these issues with the government, but there has been no outcome.

AAP fully backs ongoing farmers' protest, calling their demands valid and attempts to discredit them completely wrong: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal

KMSC leader Satnam Singh Pannu on Friday claimed that the central government is sending Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliated people to instigate clashes at the protest site. "Modi government is using sick tactics to delegitimise our movement. They are sending the RSS people to instigate clashes here; they did it two times yesterday. We will make sacrifices but not go back until and unless the laws are repealed," Pannu said at the Singhu border. He further said more farmers are going to join them in the evening. The farmer leader also clarified that the protestors did not go to Red Fort, but marched on the decided route while taking out tractor rallies on Republic Day.

We will make our own law 'if needed'. We are waiting for the Supreme Court's final outcome on the fate of these laws. Maharashtra Cabinet sub-committee on farm laws is headed by deputy CM Ajit Pawar, so he will take a call on this issue: Ashok Chavan