Police use tear gas, water cannons, trucks to prevent farmers from entering Delhi

Thousands of farmers who reached Panipat town of Haryana on Ambala-Delhi highway on Friday marched towards the capital, pushing through heavy trola trucks and multi-layer barricades.

Written by Sukhbir Siwach

Chandigarh | Updated: November 27, 2020 04:19 PM IST

3 min read

Police use water canon to disperse farmers marching towards New Delhi, near Hisar (AP)

Braving tear gas and water cannons used by Haryana police, farmers from Punjab and Haryana reached the national capital border as part of their ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest against the Centre’s new farm laws. The farmers received widespread support from their Haryana counterparts, with Haryana Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Gurnam Singh Chaduni saying farmers from Haryana would break all police barricades and “the farmers from Punjab are our guests”.

Chaduni and senior farmer leader from Punjab Balbir Singh Rajewal are leading the march on the Ambala-Delhi highway. “The farmers from Punjab are our elder brothers, they are our guests. Its our dharma to ensure their respect and security. Haryana farmers will break all the (police) barricades and will clear the way to succeed in our aim. First younger brothers (Haryana farmers) will face beatings (by policemen), then the number of elder brothers (Punjab brothers) will come. Farmers from Haryana will be ahead in the march while the farmers from Punjab will follow them. We won’t throw stones, won’t abuse anybody or won’t indulge in any scuffle,” Chaduni said.

Thousands of farmers who reached Panipat town of Haryana on Ambala-Delhi highway on Friday marched towards the capital, pushing through heavy trola trucks and multi-layer barricades deployed by the authorities to thwart their movement. Follow LIVE Updates

The Delhi Police used tear gas shells to disperse a group of farmers who had reached the Singhu border, while at the Tigri border security personnel used water cannons to disperse farmers. Plumes of smoke were seen as security personnel used multiple rounds of tear gas to disperse the protesting farmers at the Singhu border.

Protesting farmers at the Punjab-Haryana border, in Shambhu, Patiala (Express photo by Harmeet Sodhi)

On the other hand, another group of farmers are just a few kilometres away from the national capital on the Delhi-Rohtak highway. The farmers continued their movement during night, breaking police barricades and crossed Sampla town. “Our stir will continue till the three farm laws, which are anti-farmer, are withdrawn,” said Mandeep Nathwan, convener of Haryana Kisan Sanghrash Samiti.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala reached Panipat on Friday morning to meet the agitating farmers and hit out at the government for using water cannons on them. “Are these farmers criminals or terrorists? If the government with the help of black laws will snatch livelihood of farmers, the Congress will stand by farmers,” he said.