5-hour-long Centre-farmers' meet ends, huge police deployment in place ahead of protest march to Delhi

In the national capital, massive deployment of police and paramilitary personnel, besides multi-layered barricading have been made to seal the city at Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur.

"The talks did not lead to any result. We will start our march to Delhi at 10 am. We will, however, discuss the proposals given by the government in our forum. The government is clearly at fault here," a farmer leader told reporters after the meeting ended.

They discussed repealing the Electricity Act, 2020, and compensation for farmers who were killed in the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri.

An agreement was reached between the government and the farmer groups to withdraw the cases filed against them during the year-long protest against the now-scrapped controversial farm laws.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police earlier in the day imposed Section 144 under CrPC across the national capital until March 12, effective from Monday, to maintain public order and tranquillity.

Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora issued an order prohibiting the gathering of five or more persons, blocking roads, conducting processions and rallies, restricting the entry of tractor trolleys, and imposing a ban on carrying corrosive substances or explosives, as well as the use of loudspeakers across the national capital.

If any person violates the provisions of this order will be considered to have committed an offence under Section 188 of the IPC and shall be liable for criminal prosecution as per law, the Police said.

Vehicles such as tractor trolleys, trucks, or any other transporting individuals or materials are not allowed entry into Delhi.

Particularly, vehicles carrying implements like sticks, swords, firearms, or any potentially violent tools are prohibited, the police said.

The protest is being organised by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and several farmers' organisations have distanced themselves from it.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal), which was part of the farmers' protest in 2020-21 that led to the Centre withdrawing three laws, said they won't join Tuesday's protest.

Instead, they will participate in a protest on Friday. The BKU, however, warned that if farmers part of Tuesday's protest are "manhandled," all unions will hit the streets.