Farmers to intensify protest today: Key things to know

In a bid to put more pressure on the Centre to repeal three farm laws, agitating farmers are set to intensify protests across the nation from today.

Protesting farmer unions are planning programmes of the state-wise 'kisan mahapanchayats' that are set to be organised across the country in the coming days against the Centre's three farm laws.

The Samkyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of the protesting unions, has made it clear that it will not call off the ongoing protest until its demands to repeal the laws and bring legal guarantee for minimum support price on their crops are met.

Also read: Farmers' agitation: Protesting unions to hold 'kisan mahapanchayats' across country in coming days

The announcement to intensify protest came soon after PM Modi's reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in Lok Sabha where he gave no indication of repealing the controversial laws.

Farmers' leader Darshan Pal said SKM discussed the various programmes between February 12 and February 18. Here is everything you need to know about the 'mahapanchayats' and other programmes:

1. A 'mahapanchayat' will be held in Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh) on February 12, followed by Bahadurgarh bypass (Haryana) on February 13, Sri Ganganagar (Rajasthan) on February 18, Hanumangarh (Rajasthan) on February 19 and Silkar (Rajasthan) on February 23.

2. On February 12, Darshan Pal said, all road toll plazas in Rajasthan will be made toll free.

3. On February 14, candle marches and other programmes will be organised to remember the "sacrifice of martyred soldiers in Pulwama attack". On February 14, 2019, terrorists drove an explosive-laden SUV into a convoy of CRPF personnel killing 40 personnel in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama.

4. Farmers will also organise a solidarity show on February 16 on the occasion of birth anniversary of Sir Chhoturam. On February 18, the SKM also called for a 'rail roko' agitation across the country from 12 pm to 4 pm.

5. At the Singhu border protest site, the unions have begun strengthening the infrastructure by installing CCTV cameras for enhanced security, electric fans to beat the heat in the coming months, and laying separate optical fibre line for wi-fi facility in case there is another internet shutdown.

6. These are some of the measures taken by the agitating farmers to prepare for a long haul as a resolution of the stalemate over the new farm legislation seems unlikely anytime soon.

On Monday, after the Rajya Sabha passed the Motion of Thanks, the SKM said that Prime Minister Modi has insulted the farmers, adding that they are proud to be 'aandolan jeevis' as it was agitations that liberated India from colonial rule.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at the three Delhi border points --- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur --- for over 75 days.

(With PTI inputs)