Bharat Bandh today as farmers continue their protest, next round of talks with Centre on Sunday

Several protesting farmer unions have called for a 'Bharat Bandh' today due to which restrictions have been imposed in Delhi-NCR. Section 144 has been imposed in the region that bans large gatherings of five or more people at a time.  

As their demonstration reached its fourth day today, many farmers' unions issued calls for a "Bharat Bandh." Section 144 prohibits large gatherings, and this restriction extends to Delhi and the national capital area (NCR). Farmers have pledged to step up the protest, and the Bharatiya Kisan Parishad, located in Noida, has backed the statewide walkout.

There was little progress on Thursday during a five-hour long marathon meeting between three Union ministers and representatives of the protesting farmers' unions. There will be another session of talks on Sunday, February 18.

Security continues to be up on inter-state borders between Punjab and Haryana on the fourth day on Friday (February 16), with protesting farmers adamant about heading to the national capital for the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), one of the farmers' unions, has called for a Gramin Bharat Bandh today.

All farmer organizations and trade unions with similar goals have been invited by the SKM to join the daylong demonstration, which is scheduled to start at 6 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. From 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., protesters will stage "chakka jam" on important highways in India.

Following the request for a Bharat bandh by farmer organizations, the Union Home Ministry on Friday ordered the suspension of telecom services in Shutrana, Khanauri, and Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab.

Earlier, in neighbouring Haryana, mobile Internet services, bulk SMS and all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except the voice calls in the jurisdiction of districts Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa were suspended till Thursday. The Noida Police imposed Section 144 under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) late on Thursday night as the protests entered their fourth day today.