New Delhi, January 6

Camping at protest venues near Delhi borders for around 40 days, braving severe cold and sporadic rain, farmers have asserted that their stir against the farm laws will intensify in the coming days, even as they deferred Wednesday’s proposed tractor march over a bad weather forecast.

The deadlock continues as the seventh round of talks with the Centre remained inconclusive, with the farmer groups sticking to their demand for the repeal of the three new laws, and the government listing out various benefits of the new Acts.

The national capital, meanwhile, reels under a spell of harsh winter. The city woke up on Wednesday to the rumble of thunder and the sound of hailstones hitting rooftops and windows as it received rain for the fourth consecutive day.

The rain, caused by a strong western disturbance, comes on the back of a “severe” cold wave that gripped Delhi in the run-up to New Year. On Friday, the mercury had plummeted to 1.1 degrees Celsius, the lowest in 15 years for January.

On Tuesday, the protesting farmers said they were deferring their proposed tractor march from January 6 to January 7 due to a bad weather forecast.

Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and some other parts of the country have been camping at several Delhi border points since November 28, demanding repeal of the farm laws, a legal guarantee on minimum support price for their crops and other two issues.

Last week, the government agreed to exclude farmers from penal provisions of the Air Quality Management ordinance and not to pursue the draft Electricity Bill.

Also read: There is absolutely no improvement in situation: CJI on talks between govt and farmers

Since the farmers arrived at the national capital’s borders, the Delhi Traffic Police has been posting alerts on its official Twitter handle to inform commuters about road closures across the city.

In a series of tweets on Wednesday, it said Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Saboli and Mangesh borders were closed for traffic movement.

“Please take alternative route via Lampur Safiabad, Palla & Singhu school toll tax borders. Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba & GTK road. Please avoid Outer Ring Road, GTK Road & NH-44.

“The Chilla and Ghazipur borders are closed for traffic coming from Noida & Ghaziabad to Delhi because of farmer protests. Please take alternative route for coming to Delhi via Anand Vihar, DND, Bhopra & Loni Borders,” the traffic police said.

It said Tikri and Dhansa borders are also closed for traffic movement.

“Jhatikara Border is open only for LMV (Cars/Light Motor Vehicles), two-wheelers and pedestrian movement,” another tweet read.

According to the traffic police, people travelling to Haryana can take the routes via Jharoda (only single carriageway), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH-8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera borders. — PTI

Srinagar, January 2

The Army on Saturday set up a feedback and grievance helpline in the Kashmir valley as part of its efforts to strengthen bond with people.

The helpline has been set up under the aegis of Chinar Corps or 15 Corps, which is responsible for guarding the Line of Control in the Valley.

“As part of Army’s efforts to further strengthen the bond of friendship between the ‘aawam’ and jawan, a feedback and grievance helpline has been established under the aegis of the Chinar Corps,” a defence spokesman said.

Bridging the gap

• The helpline has been set up under the aegis of the Chinar Corps or 15 Corps, which is responsible for guarding the Line of Control in the Valley
• The helpline number is 9484101010
• Contact can also be established through Telegram app, an Army spokesman says

The helpline number is 9484101010. The contact can also be established through Telegram app, the spokesman said.

“A ‘humsaya’ (companion) to the aawam, in good times and through any challenge, the aawam-jawan greater synergy will go a long way in establishing peace and prosperity for all,” he said. — PTI

Aman Sood
Tribune News Service
Patiala, January 6

Youth in several villages are connecting through social media and phone calls, while some are convening meetings. The purpose is to ensure that youth in large numbers reach the Delhi borders before the Republic Day, when farmer unions plan to hold a tractor rally in the National Capital.

Last week, farm unions had announced that thousands of protesting farmers would enter Delhi on January 26 and carry out a tractor parade if the three controversial laws were not repealed.

Unions, youth, farmers, labourers, arhtiyas and landlords are mobilising support for making the January 26 rally a success.

Congress leader Mansimrat Singh Riar said, “We are reaching out to everyone. We stand in solidarity with our elderly people, who have been sitting on fast in Delhi.”

He dismissed the BJP’s claims of the agitation being politically motivated. “First and foremost, I belong to the farming community. Politics takes a backseat when it comes to farmers’ struggle. This protest is of every farmer, who has been toiling hard in fields,” said Riar, who has spent a few days at the Delhi border.

For Ludhiana’s Baddowal resident Tarandeep Singh Grewal, the agitation has given him an opportunity to keep the youth of his area involved. He was doing his bit by keeping them informed about the ground reality of the protest at the Delhi borders.

“I, along with some other villagers, have been meeting youngsters and farmers who own tractors. We plan to reach the Delhi borders two days before the proposed tractor rally. However, I do hope that the matter is resolved soon and our brothers and sisters protesting in this biting cold return home. In case we need to go, we are ready. The tractor rally will be historic and apolitical,” he said.

Not only Punjab residents, but farmers and labourers, who live near the Patiala-Samana border in Haryana, are also supporting the agitation.

New Delhi, January 5

The “unilateral and provocative” actions by the Chinese military to change the status quo by force in more than one area on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) were responded to in a “firm” and “non-escalatory way”, the Defence Ministry has said in an annual report.

The report said Indian troops were well entrenched to counter any “misadventure” by Chinese forces and that the Indian Army was prepared for any eventuality, adding talks were also progressing to resolve the issue in an amicable manner.

Referring to the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15, last year that marked one of the most serious military conflicts between the two sides in decades, the Defence Ministry said the Chinese side also suffered “significant casualties”.

Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in the clashes.

“Unilateral and provocative actions by the Chinese to change the status quo by force, in more than one area on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), were responded to in a firm and non-escalatory way, ensuring the sanctity of our claims in Eastern Ladakh,” it said.

“Indian Army has maintained all protocols and agreements between the two countries while the PLA escalated the situation by utilisation of unorthodox weapons and amassing a large number of troops,” it added.

India and China are locked in an eight-month-long bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh that has significantly strained their ties.

Both sides held a series of diplomatic and military talks to resolve the row.  However, no breakthrough has been achieved to end the standoff.

The Defence Ministry said the Indian Army, with assistance from IAF, mobilised troops, including accretionary forces in a very short duration…heavy equipment like guns, tanks as also ammunition, rations and clothing.

On the June 15 incident, the report said, “In a major skirmish in Galwan, 20 brave Indian soldiers lost their lives while preventing PLA troops from ingressing into our territory. The Chinese also suffered significant casualties.”

It said on August 28 and 29, Indian troops in a precautionary deployment, pre-empted Chinese “expansionist designs” and occupied heights along the southern bank of Pangong Tso.

The report said Indian troops, braving inclement weather, continued to be deployed on these heights.

“Advance Winter Stocking (AWS) and winter preparations for the enhanced strength have been completed and troops are well entrenched to counter any misadventure by Chinese forces. While the Indian Army is prepared for any eventuality, talks are also progressing to resolve the issue in an amicable manner,” it said.

The report said the Indian Army has resolutely countered adversaries on the Line of Control (LC) and the LAC. The force carried out relentless counter-insurgency and counter-terror operations.

“There has been no let-up in operational readiness along the LC, LAC, hinterland and the security of military establishments. Indian Army has not just ensured force preservation but has also ensured that operational readiness remains unaffected in order to safeguard the borders of the nation,” the report said.

It said a ‘whole of government’ approach was adopted against the “terror ecosystem” and that the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir had seen progressive improvement due to consistent efforts by the security forces.

“On one hand, high level of alertness by troops along the Line of Control (LC) blunted Pakistan’s endeavours to infiltrate terrorists into the Valley, at the same time, high tempo of kinetic operations in the hinterland ensured denial of operational space to terrorist organisations,” it said.

The report said ceasefire violations committed by Pakistan Army were given a befitting reply by Indian troops causing significant casualties to the military of the neighbouring nation.

“Counter infiltration grid was strengthened resulting in neutralisation of a number of terrorists along the LoC. A number of attempts to smuggle arms, ammunition and contraband were also foiled along the LoC,” it said.

The report said well synergised, intelligence-based operations had resulted in significant successes against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Residual terrorist strength in the Valley now is below 200 and local recruitment is decreasing giving a serious blow to the nefarious designs of Pakistan to ‘indigenise’ the movement and fuel unrest in the Valley,” it said.

“Attempts to spread violence south of Pir Panjal Range have been comprehensively defeated by proactive operations. All possible steps are being taken to provide a secure environment to the Awaam (people) of Jammu and Kashmir,” it added.

It said a significant reduction in protests had been witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir, providing an opportunity to the people to lead a peaceful life.

“Attempts of inimical elements to mislead people by running disinformation campaigns were defeated by proactively monitoring the situation and engaging with the local population,” it said.

The report also mentioned the government’s efforts to modernise the defence forces as well as various aspects of the functioning of the Indian Air Force as well as the Indian Navy. PTI

Tribune News Service
Amritsar/Muktsar, January 6

A tractor march was organised by residents of the Vallah area in Amritsar to spread awareness about the farmers’ cause and their call for conducting a tractor rally in Delhi on January 26 against the farm laws.

On the other hand, supporting the farmers’ movement, Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa today declared that their activists would burn the copies of the controversial laws on Lohri and participate in the tractor parade in Delhi.

Prof Sardara Singh, who accompanied the tractor march, said the parade had been organised as a protest against the ill-conceived anti-farmer policies of the Centre. “It is a pity that crores of rupees have been siphoned off by the so-called bigwigs who took shelter on foreign soil with impunity whereas the farmer, who fills the food basket of the nation, has been fighting for his right to get MSP on his produce,” he said.

In Muktsar, a large number of farmers took out a tractor march. The march passed through various markets. Meanwhile, the commission agents welcomed the farmers in the grain market and promised full support. The farmers appealed to everyone to support them in their ongoing protest against the Centre over the contentious farm laws.

A similar march was carried out by the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur) in the villages of Khuyiansarwer sub-tehsil in Abohar. Convener Gunwant Singh said the march was carried out to mobilise maximum number of farmers for participation in the protest, which was to be organised by farmers organisations’ joint front in Delhi on January 26. The tractor march started from Panjawa village and passed through Tootwala, Kallarkhera, Maujgarh, Gidderanwali, Dalmirkhera, Daulatpura, Khuyiansarwer, Telupura, Haripura and Diwankhera villages. Farmers greeted the participants and served fruits and snacks to them.