'We will stage demonstration': Farmer leader demands restoration of internet services

Krantikari Kisan Union leader Darshan Pal has appealed to the government to restore the suspended internet services which were shut down in parts of Delhi-NCR close to the protest sites. He said that if the demand is not met then the farmers will hold a protest against it in the country.

'We will hold a demonstration'

"We demand the restoration of internet services in areas where agitation is going on. Otherwise, we will hold a demonstration against it in the country," Pal said while addressing the media on Friday. The Haryana government on Friday suspended all mobile internet, SMS, and dongle services in 17 districts including Sonipat, Palwal, and Jhajjar till 5 pm on January 30. The voice calls, however, are exempted as earlier from the suspension.

The districts under the fresh suspension order include Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Panipat, Hisar, Jind, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Fatehabad, Rewari, and Sirsa. The suspension came after violence took place in the national capital during the farmers' tractor rally on Republic Day, ANI reported. 

Meanwhile, heavy security deployment continues at Singhu and Tikri on the Delhi-Haryana border where farmers' protest against three agriculture laws has entered day 66.

Farmers to hold 'Sadbhavna Diwas' on Jan 30

The Farmers protesting the Centre's new agri laws will observe 'Sadbhavna Diwas' on Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary on January 30 and hold a day-long fast, farm leaders said on Friday and asserted that their agitation will gain strength as farmers in large numbers will join them in the days ahead.

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Addressing a press conference at Delhi's Singhu border, the leaders slammed the ruling BJP at the Centre and accused it of trying to "destroy" the "peaceful" agitation against the agri laws.

"The conspiracy of the ruling  BJP to destroy this farmers' movement is now exposed to all," said Jagjit Singh Dallewal of Bharat Kisan Union (Sidhupur). The farmer leaders said the fast will be held from 9 AM to 5 PM and appealed to the people of the country to join them. The farmer leaders also asserted that the number of agitators at all the prominent protest venues—Ghazipur, Singhu and Tikri—is swelling after the police allegedly tried to remove farmer leader Rakesh Tikait from Ghazipur border on Thursday night. 

Thousands of protesting farmers clashed with the police during the tractor parade on January 26. Many of them, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. They hoisted flags on the domes and placed the flagstaff at the ramparts of the national monument.

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(With agency inputs)