North India

A delegation of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday and urged him for a judicial inquiry into the alleged "conspiracy" against farmers protesting Narendra Modi government's new farm laws.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking the release of Republic day protesters “illegally detained” by the police.

Mandeep Punia, who was manhandled and arrested by Delhi police on 30 January from the Singhu border while covering farmers protests, has been granted bail by a Delhi court on Tuesday, Live Law reported.

After internet shutdown, the Haryana government has now suspended voice calling facilities in seven districts -- Kaithal, Panipat, Jind, Rohtak, Charkhi Dadri, Sonipat and Jhajjar to "prevent any disturbance of peace and public order" amid the protests by farmers against three farm laws.

Journalist Mandeep Punia who was manhandled and detained by Delhi Police on Saturday night while reporting ongoing farmers' agitation, was remanded to judicial custody till February 14 by a court here.

Peasant leaders in Uttar Pradesh Rakesh Tikait and Naresh Tikait sunday said that the farmer leaders are committed to protect farmers' self respect and asserted that the farmers will never agree to anything under pressure.

Journalists Mandeep Punia and Dharmender Singh were detained and manhandled by the Delhi Police from the farmers' protest site at Singhu border on Saturday night.

Student organisations in Delhi University including Fraternity Movement, Campus Front of India, Students Islamic Organisation of India, Democratic Students Union, and Bhagat Singh Chatr Ekta Manch jointly demanded immediate release of Jawaharlal Nehru University research scholar and Muslim student activist Sharjeel Imam and other activists who were arrested and charged under the draconian UAPA.

Delhi Police has so far registered 38 cases, arrested 84 people in connection with Republic Day tractor rally, PTI quoted officials were saying.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal) president Balbir Singh Rajewal on Saturday said BJP and RSS were behind Friday’s stone-pelting incident on farmers at Singhu border.

Six human rights organisations in Punjab including Punjab Documentation and Advocacy Project (PDAP), Human Rights Law Network (HRLN), Peoples' Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), Khalra Mission Organisation, Lawyers For Human Rights International ( LFHRI) and Punjab Human Rights Organization (PHRO) have raised deep concern over the disappearances of hundreds of the agitating farmers in Delhi and said "as many as 200 protesters have been detained, while many have been booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Sedition sections in Delhi following the incidents took place at Red Fort on January 26."

Farmer unions protesting at different borders near Delhi have called for a fast on January 30, saying they would celebrate the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi as 'Sadbhavna Diwas'.