4:05 pm: Please Think About Farmers Like You Think About Adani And Advani, Says Kejriwal
Taking a dig at Modi, Kejriwal said, "Please think of our farmers the way you think of Adani and Ambani. And if you don't, then please go to Adani and Ambani for votes."
3:57 pm: PM Modi Has Stabbed People Of Our Country In Their Backs, Says Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also showed support to the farmers march. He said, "A country where farmers have to commit suicide can never prosper. It is sad that all of you had to travel for miles to come and demand your rights."
Speaking of Modi governments promise to implement the Swaminathan Report, Kejriwal said, "In the Supreme Court, the BJP government has given an affidavit saying that we cannot implement the Swaminathan Report. PM Modi has stabbed the people of the country in their backs.There are only five months left, I would ask Modi to take back the affidavit and implement the report."
He said that farmers in our country don't get paid enough for their blood and sweat. "If our farmers are paid for their produce, then they will not have to beg for loan waivers."
Critcising Modi's insurance schemes, Kejriwal said they were "frauds".
3:55 pm: We Stand With The Farmers Of Our Country, Says Rahul Gandhi
Gandhi said that the farmers and youth of the country will ensure they get justice even if it means changing laws or the prime minister.
"We will stand with the farmers of our country," said Rahul Gandhi.
3:53 pm: Modi Has Divided India Between Adani And Ambani, Says Rahul Gandhi
Addressing the rally of farmers, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said, "Today India faces two big challenges — the problem of farmers and employment for the youth. It is a fight for the future of farmers and youth."
"You pay money for insurance, it goes into the pockets of Anil Ambani. They have divided India between Ambani and Adani. The Indian farmers don't want Anil Ambani's private jet. But if you can give Ambani's crores of rupees, then you can waive off farmers loans," Rahul Gandhi said in a scathing attack on Modi and BJP.
3.39 pm: Rahul Gandhi Arrives And Will Soon Meet The Farmers
3:20 pm: Modiji jumlebaaz pradhaan mantri hain, says AAP's Sanjay Singh
AAP's Sanjay Singh expressed his party's support to the farmers and said that AAP like NCP will support the private member's bill that Raju Shetti will introduce in Parliament.
Singh criticised the Prime Minister saying, "Modiji jumlebaaz pradhaan mantri hain".
3:10 pm: Only Two People Of BJP Visible Modi And Shah, Like Kauravas Of Mahabharat, Says Sitaram Yechury
CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said on Thursday, addressing the gathering of farmers said, "This is the new India that will defeat Modi."
"People of this country will bring an alternative government which will have pressure to form pro-farmer policies. The alternative government's polices should be pro-farmer pro-people.But whenever it comes to pro-people issues, the BJP talks of religion and Ram to polarise people."
Yechury criticised Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah and said, "Only two people from the BJP are visible, Shah and Modi, like the Kauravas of Mahabharat."
Yechury said, "Please remember what Modi has done in the last few years."
Calling PM Modi a 'pocket maar' Yechury said, "Remember the pocket maar also has a side-kick. For Modi it is Amit Shah."
3:00 pm: Modi Govt Not Sensitive To Problems Of Farmers, Says Sharad Pawar
NCP Leader Sharad Pawar addressed the farmers march in Delhi and said that, "Those ruling the country today are not sensitive to the farmers' cause."
Pawar compared the Narendra Modi-led BJP government to that of the previous UPA government and said, "Manmohan Singh was extremely sensitive to problems of farmers. He took steps to help them. The government is not ready to fulfill its responsibility towards farmers."
2:55 pm: Mamata Banerjee Ready To Give Her Life For Farmers: TMC's Dinesh Trivedi
Trinamool Congress leader Dinesh Trivedi addressing the gathering of farmers said that this was a protest for India and not just farmers.
Trivedi said, "I am here with a message from Mamata Banerjee. She has said that she is ready to her life for farmers' rights."
2:45 pm: Yogendra Yadav Addresses Farmers' March, Says 'Narendra Modi, Kisan Virodhi'
Politician Yogendra Yadav addressed the farmer's march on Thursday. He raised the slogan, "Narendra Modi, Kisan Virodhi".
2:35 pm: Sharad Pawar, Sitaram Yechury Reach Parliament Street
National Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar, AAP's Sanjay Singh, CPI leader D Raja and CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury have reach Parliament Street to show support to farmers.
2:11 pm: Rahul Gandhi To Address Farmers March At 3:30 pm
2:03 pm: Gurdwaras Extend Help To Farmers; Doctors, Lawyers, Professors Turn Up Top Protest
PTI reported that five Gurdwaras in Delhi have extended their help to the farmers. Also students from various universities turned out in large numbers to lend support to the farmers. The protest also saw participation of a number of women farmers who travelled from various parts of the country.
Volunteers, including doctors, lawyers, professors and artists, all came out in large numbers to help the farmers.
1:45 pm: Free Us From Indebtedness, Says MP Raju Shetti; To Introduce Bill For Farmers In Parliament
Raju Shetti, an MP from Maharashtra and founder of the Kolhapur-based farmers union Swabhimani Shetkari Saghtana, said he would present two private member's bills in Parliament in the upcoming winter session.
Shetti told Huffpost India, "The demand is simple. Just give proper price for our produce and free us from indebtedness."
1:35 pm: Tamil Nadu Farmers Threaten To March Naked If Stopped
Farmers from Tamil Nadu, who had protested in Jantar Mantar in 2017 with skulls of farmers who had committed suicide, threatened on Thursday and Friday that they would march naked if they were not allowed to go to Parliament street. Here's a photo of them from earlier in the day:
1:27 pm: Hope Farmers Follow Conditions, Says Delhi Deputy Commissioner
Deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Madhur Verma told ANI that they have held multiple talk with the farmers and have given them permission to march to Parliament street. He said, "Around 8,000 farmers have reached Ramlila Maidan. They will conclude their march at Parliament Street and culminate their protest from there."
1:25 pm: Kisan March Will Turn Out To Be Shamshan March For BJP: CPI-M Leader
CPI-M Leader Atul Ranjan told Huffpost India, "This march is a statement of farmers against the Modi government. It's not just Kisan march, but will turn out to be shamshan for BJP and other political parties."
1:20 pm: Arvind Kejriwal Likely To Address Farmer At 4 pm, Rahul Gandhi May Pariticipate As Well.
Reports say that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to address the protesting farmers at 4 pm today. Some TV reports said that Congress President Rahul Gandhi may also participate in the march.
Hindustan Times reported that NCP chief Sharad Pawar, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, Loktantrik Janata Dal's Sharad Yadav are also likely to address the farmers at Jantar Mantar today.
1:15 pm:'We're Fools To Have Believed Modi': Voices From The 'Dilli Chalo' March
Huffpost India spoke to some protesters about why they were attending the march. Most of them said they wanted to show support to the farmers and were unhappy with the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre for ignoring them and not keeping his promises. They said that they wanted the government at the Centre to take their agitation seriously. Here are some of those voices. Read more here.
1:07 pm: Don't Want Ayodhya, Want Loan Waivers: Farmers At Ramlila Maidan
Farmers participating in the Kisan Mukti March have also criticised BJP's call for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and have said that they want waiver of loans and not Ayodhya.
While the leaders of the BJP, including chief Amit Shah, have been campaigning across India and have been promising a Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
The Indian Express reported that as farmer began to gather at Ramlila Maidan on Thursday, they raised slogans of 'Ayodhya nahi, karz maafi chahiye'.
1:03 pm: Farmers Here To Give Ultimatum To Those Who Destroyed Agriculture, Says Medha Patkar
Activist Medha Patkar tells Huffpost India, "Farmers here not for any political purpose but to give an ultimatum to them who have destroyed agriculture."
1:00 pm: Follow The Delhi Traffic Police Twitter Handle To Get Traffic Alerts Today
12:50 pm: Modi Has Only Travelled The World In Last Four Years, Says Farmers From Pilibhit
The disenchantment with the Narendra Modi government was evident when two young farmers from Pilibhit, Sukhvindar Singh, Deepak Singh And Balvindar Singh, told Huffpost India correspondent Pavan Dahat that the prime minister had done nothing but travelling the world in the last four years.
They said, "There are no profits from the paddy we sow, we are unable to even recover the production cost. The government promised MsP [minimum support price] of Rs 1700 we got only Rs 1200. Mill owners ate up the money in between. Modiji said many things, including that Rs 15 lakhs will be credited to our accounts if we get an Aadhaar card, what happened to that? He only travelled world in last four years."
12:40 pm: 'Narendra Modi Hosh Mein Ao' Slogans Were Raised By Protesters
Slogans of 'Narendra Modi hosh mein ao' reverberated through the streets of Lutyen's Delhi, where the homes and offices of most ministers are located, as farmers sought justice. They also raised slogans of 'Takht badal do taj badal do, baimano ka raj badal do."
12:30: Daughters And Widows Of Farmers From Telangana March For Justice
Widows and daughters of Telangana farmers, who killed themselves because of agrarian crisis, marched with the photos of their fathers and husbands.
Divya S, whose father Satish killed himself because he was under a massive debt, told Huffpost India correspondent Pavan Dahat she had come to Delhi from Telangana in solidarity with the farmers and seeking justice for the farmers who had committed suicide because of the government's neglect towards farmers.
12:21 pm: Tight Security In Delhi
NDTV reported that in light of the march over 3,500 police personnel were deployed. The report said that 850 police personnel, up to the rank of sub-inspectors, were also deployed in the Central Delhi.
The report said the 12 companies of police deployed will also include women police personnel.
12:00 pm: Thousands Of Farmers March To Parliament
Thousands of farmers are marching to Parliament on Friday to force lawmakers to take note of the deep crisis plaguing Indian's agricultural sector.
The protesters, who are marching under the banner of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), are demanding debt relief, remunerative prices for their produce and a special session of Parliament to address agrarian issues, among other things.
HuffPost India spoke to the protesters to find that many are particularly angry at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, especially for what they consider the non-fulfilment of his 2014 election promise on minimum support prices.
During the run-up to the last general election, Modi had promised to calculate minimum support prices according to a new formula that took into account the entire cost of production and 50% profit.
While the BJP claims they have kept this promise, many analysts have disputed this.
The photos below give a glimpse of the many faces and voices that make up the Dilli Chalo march.