Voicing support for the Bharat Bandh call given by farmer organisations to protest the farm bills, the Congress on Friday alleged that the new agriculture laws will "enslave" farmers and the MSP will be "snatched away" from them. Various farmer groups have called for a nationwide shutdown on Friday against the three bills, which were passed by both houses of Parliament during the Monsoon session and await presidential assent.
The Delhi Police have tightened the security at the border areas in the wake of the Bharat Bandh called by over two dozen farmer organisations on Friday.
In the wake of a call for a bandh by different political parties to protest against the passage of the three contentious agriculture-related Bills by Parliament, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Friday led a 'tractor march' on the Patna roads. He said that "black Bills" pertaining to agriculture had been passed.
Amid the raging protests against the Farms Bills passed the Parliament, several farmer's organisations from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have called a national shutdown on Friday. Meanwhile, the Punjab-Haryana border has been sealed and no vehicle is being allowed. The Shambhu Border Toll-Tax has been barricaded and blocked. 
A high alert has been sounded in western Uttar Pradesh for Friday when farmers' groups and opposition political parties have organised 'Bharat Bandh', against three farm bills passed by Parliament. The agitation has brought together various farmers groups in the region against the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, passed by Parliament during the curtailed monsoon session that ended on Wednesday.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar shared his state's policy initiatives and sustainable development efforts, including climate resilient agriculture and water conservation, aimed at contributing to the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C at a climate change roundtable hosted by the UN Secretary-General.
India on Friday recorded as many as 86,052 new coronavirus cases and 1,141 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to Union health ministry data. India's Covid-19 tally crossed 58 lakh-mark with Maharashtra recording the highest number of cases. The total cases of coronavirus infections stand at 58,18,571 while the death toll climbed to 92,290 the data updated at 8 am showed. Out of these 46,74,988 cured/discharged/migrated, according to the health ministry. Republic Day 2024 : As India's 75th Republic Day Parade kicked off in the national capital, a 30-member band contingent and a marching c...
