Farmers shout slogans after burning an effigy during a protest against the newly passed farm bills at Singhu border near Delhi, on Saturday. (Reuters)As farmers stayed put at Delhi’s Singhu and Tikri borders borders, Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday assured that the government is ready to hold talks with the protesting farmers and urged them to shift their protest site to the designated place at the Nirankari Samagam Ground in Delhi’s Burari. Farmers, who have refused to move to the site, have been demanding a nod for demonstrating at Jantar Mantar.
“If farmers’ unions want to hold discussions before December 3, I want to assure you all that as soon as you shift your protest to a structured place, the government will hold talks to address your concerns the very next day,” Shah said.
Security remains heightened at the Delhi-Haryana border at Tikri as farmers, who are opposing the three central farm laws, stayed put at the Delhi border points for the third consecutive day today. Thousands of farmers were allowed to enter the national capital on Friday evening after clashes with the police, who used tear gas, water cannons and lathis to block their march from Haryana.
Angry at the obstacles placed in the way of farmers marching to Delhi, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), a grouping of 500 farm unions, shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday urging him to provide them safe passage to Ram Leela Ground in Delhi. Meanwhile, Navdeep Singh (26), who had grabbed headlines for climbing atop water cannon to turn it off during farmers stir in Ambala district on November 25, has been booked for attempt to murder. The police have accused them of attempting to run over policemen with a speeding tractor-trolley by breaking the police barricading.
Farmers' protest LIVE updates: Delhi police is using trucks filled with sand to stop farmers at the Singhu border.
Protesting farmers are carrying drinking water in tankers (Express Photo by Gurmeet Singh)
Farmers at Shambhu Barrier in Ambala. (Photo by A. Aggarwal)
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday accused political parties in Punjab of “sponsoring” the farmers’ movement that has led to scores of protesters descending upon border areas of the national capital over the last three days and added that his Punjab counterpart, Amarinder Singh, has not responded so far to efforts for a dialogue.
Reacting to Khattar’s remarks later in the day, Amarinder condemned the violence that broke out between police and protesting farmers in Haryana and demanded an apology from the Haryana CM.
Speaking to the media in Gurgaon after presiding over a meeting of the district grievance committee, Khattar said, “This movement is primarily being sponsored by political parties in Punjab and some organisations there. I have tried several times to talk to the Chief Minister of Punjab over the last 3 days regarding the movement, but he did not speak to me. We dialed 6-7 times, but each time his staff just kept saying we will get it done now, we will get it done in some time.”
A large number of farmers staged a protest against the Centre's farm laws at the Ghaziabad's UP Gate on Saturday. Led by Bharatiya Kisan Union's national president Rakesh Tikait, farmers said they will continue their stir till the Centre does not give a written assurance about the continuation of the minimum support price (MSP) system.
Tikait said farmers associated with the body will not go the Delhi's Burari ground, a place earmarked for protests by police. The protesting farmers will decide the future course of action on Sunday. Till the Union government does not give us as a written assurance about the MSP for crops, we will continue our stir, Tikait said.
"In case any buyer procures the agricultural produce below the MSP, he should be jailed and for this, the government must pass a law," he said, stressing that the agitating farmers will proceed to the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to stage a sit-in.
He also alleged that in the name of the coronavirus pandemic, the government wants to crush the movement. Where was coronavirus when the Bihar assembly elections were held, he asked.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday urged farmers to accept Union Home Minister Amit Shah's appeal and shift to the designated place for their protest, thus paving the way for early talks to resolve their issues.
Amid reports of Amit Shah's offer to hold discussions with farmers at the earliest, Amarinder Singh said it is in the best interest of the farming community and the nation at large. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday appealed to the farmers to shift to the Burari ground in the national capital to stage their protest and said the Centre is ready to hold discussions with them as soon as they move to the designated place.
Shah's offer to advance talks with farmers from December 3 and his statement reflecting the Centre's willingness to listen to the farmers is a welcome step, said the CM in a statement here. He said the only solution to the current stalemate over the farm laws issue is discussion.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday said he will not speak to his Haryana counter Manohar Lal Khattar until he seeks an apology for "inflicting brutality" on farmers marching to Delhi.
The Punjab chief minister also junked the allegations that he did not speak to Khattar over the farmers' issue despite repeated attempts by the Haryana CM, according to a statement.
"Khattar is lying that he tried calling me earlier and I did not respond. But now, after what he has done to my farmers, I will not speak to him even if he calls me 10 times. Unless he apologises and admits that he did wrong with Punjab's farmers, I will not forgive him,"said Singh, seeking apology from the Haryana CM for "inflicting brutality" on farmers.
Former Union Minister and SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur tweeted in support of protesting farmers and slammed the Haryana government and Centre for "stifling the democratic rights of our farmers."
"First the ML Khattar government stifles democratic rights of our farmers to demonstrate peacefully. Uses water cannon, tear gas and also lathi charges them. Govt then rubs salt on their wounds by filing cases against them for reacting and removing blockades to move onward to Delhi. Shameful!" she said.
Home Minister Amit Shah has assured protesting farmers that the government is willing to hold discussion with them before December 3 if they shift their protest to the designated place approved by the Centre.
"If farmers' unions want to hold discussions before December 3, I want to assure you all that as soon as you shift your protest to structured place, the government will hold talks to address your concerns the very next day," he said.
In an appeal to agitating farmers who are protesting against the three Central farm laws, Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the government is ready to hold talks to deliberate on "every problem and demand" being raised by the farmers.
"At many places, farmers are staying with their tractors and trollies on highways in this cold. I appeal to them that Delhi Police are ready to shift you to big ground, please go there. You will be given police permission to hold programmes there," he told news agency ANI.
Alleging that the Central farm laws "threatened" India's food security, several opposition parties on Saturday likened attempts by the police to stop the farmers' march towards Delhi by using tear gas, water cannons and by digging up roads to "repression" and "waging a war".
In a joint statement, leaders of eight opposition parties extended their support to the farmers who are protesting the three farm laws. These leaders are NCP chief Sharad Pawar, DMK's T R Baalu, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI General Secretary D Raja, RJD MP Manoj Jha, CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, AIFB's Debabrata Biswas and RSP General Secretary Manoj Bhattacharya.
"Braving severe repression, tear gassing, heavy water cannons, roadblocks, police barricades and digging up the national highways surrounding Delhi akin to waging a 'war' on our farmers, tens of thousands of farmers have successfully reached the National Capital of Delhi.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Khattar on Saturday alleged that some political parties and organisations are "sponsoring" the farmers' stir against the Centre's farm laws. He also hit out at Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, claiming that despite wanting to talk to him over the issue, he did not respond even when telephone calls to his office were made for three days.
Claiming a "conspiracy", Khattar told reporters in Gurgaon that officials in the Punjab Chief Minister's Office are "giving directions" to the protesting farmers from Punjab. The stir has been build up by farmers from Punjab and some political parties and organisations are "sponsoring" it, he said.
Senior Congress leader expressed his solidarity with the farmers protesting against the three central farm laws. "Raising voice against injustice is a duty, not a crime. The Modi government cannot change the determination of the farmers with the police's fake FIR. This fight will continue till the black laws are repealed," he tweeted.
Farmers have arrived at Ghaziabad-Delhi border in support of 'Delhi Chalo' protest march. "We want guarantee in Minimum Support Price (MSP). We're going to discuss with other farmer groups & then decide on further plans," ANI quoted a farmer as saying.
Thousands of farmers protesting the Centre's new agriculture laws stayed put at the Singhu and Tikri border points for the third consecutive day amid heavy police presence even after being offered a north Delhi ground to hold peaceful demonstrations. Numbers swelled at the Singhu border point as farmers gathered there were joined by more counterparts from Punjab and Haryana and they refused to move towards the Sant Nirankari Ground, one of the biggest in the national capital.
Rajasthan farmers take out procession in Jaipur in support of 'Delhi Chalo' protest. "I ask the govt for open debate & then we'll see if the result is in favour of farmers. We ask them to add another law that will guarantee Minimum Support Price (MSP)," says a farmer.
Delhi Traffic Police has said that Singhu border is still closed from both sides. "Please take an alternate route. Traffic diverted from Mukarba Chowk & GTK road. Traffic is very very heavy. Please avoid outer ring road from the signature bridge to Rohini & vice versa, GTK road, NH 44 & Singhu border."
Samajwadi Party chief and former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav says, "Treating farmers with such dereliction has never been done by any party except BJP. These are the same people who had told farmers that they'd not only waive loans but would bring in policies which would double farmers' income."
Punjab farmers moving towards the national capital as part of their 'Delhi Chalo' protest march, cross Punjab-Haryana border at Sambhu.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday blamed political parties in Punjab and “some organisations there” for “sponsoring” the farmers’ movement that has led to scores of farmers descending upon border areas of the national capital over the last 3 days.Speaking to the media in Gurgaon after presiding over a meeting of the District Grievance Committee, Khattar said, “This movement is primarily being sponsored by political parties in Punjab and some organisations there. I have tried several times to talk to the Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, over the last 3 days regarding the movement, but he did not speak to me. We dialed 6-7 times but each time his staff just kept saying we will get it done now, we will get it done in some time.” -- reports Sakshi Dayal
Punjab farmers Saturday refused to stage a protest at Nirankari Park in Burari. BKU Ugrahan, the largest farmers' union in Punjab, said that they will sit on the outskirts of Delhi till the time permission for doing protest at Jantar Mantar is not given.
Haryana Police has booked state Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni and several farmers on attempt to murder, rioting, causing obstruction in government duty and other charges for violations during their "Delhi Chalo" march, officials said on Saturday.
A cases was registered on November 26 under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing any public servant in discharge of public functions) and 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) among others at the Parao police station on a complaint from Head Constable Pardeep Kumar as hundreds of farmers assembled on the GT road near Ambala Cantt to proceed towards the national capital.
The FIR names Charuni and several other unknown farmers as accused. According to it, the BKU Haryana chief and others had gathered near Mohra village in Ambala. The FIR says Deputy Superintendent of Police Ram Kumar, who was leading the police team at the spot, asked Charuni not to proceed further but he refused. It adds that Charuni and other farmers broke police barricades with their tractors. (PTI)
A meeting of farmers' union heads is going on in Delhi to decide whether to take Nirankari Bhawan as a venue of their protest rally or not.
The central government may, by hook or crook, ride out the current Punjab-based farmers’ agitation. But the underlying logic of the situation can sow the seeds of a long-term crisis. The existential stakes in this agitation for both the farmers and the government are high; but the possibility of a good faith material resolution of the problem is low. This has the makings of a perfect storm
The propulsive power of the agitation comes from this. The farmers have increasingly seen their political identities being marginalised due to growing economic complexity. The power of unions has been weakened. So the three agricultural acts, which are going to affect Punjab the most, are providing a point of reference for the larger political significance of farmers, writes Pratap Bhanu Mehta.
Thousands of farmers gathered at the Singhu border held a meeting on Saturday morning amid heavy security presence and decided to continue demonstrating there even after being offered a site in north Delhi to hold their protest. Those gathered at the Tikri border continued to hold ground as well. A decision on whether they would head to the designated protest site is expected soon.
After the meeting at the Singhu border, one of the main routes used to access the city from Punjab, a farmer leader said they would not move and continue their protest there. "We will not move from here (Singhu Border) and continue our fight. We will not return home. Thousands of farmers have come from Punjab and Haryana to join the protest," he said.
The price of the messy handling of the farmers’ protest may not be political. Instead, it could potentially delay or derail the government’s future reform plans, whether to do with decontrolling urea prices or replacing MSPs and open-ended crop procurement with direct farm income support. Like the three farm laws, these are again reforms necessary to harvest the true potential of Indian agriculture and make it globally competitive. The Modi government has more than enough political capital still at its disposal, which it should use to constructively engage with the farming community, to talk to it and to listen to it.
Angry at the obstacles placed in the way of farmers marching to Delhi, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), a grouping of 500 farm unions, shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday urging him to provide them safe passage to Ram Leela Ground in Delhi.
The letter, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, reads, “As you are aware, determined and resolute farmers are marching towards Delhi in lakhs from different states of India, including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and so on, under the leadership of various national and regional platforms of farmers organisations. A Samyukt Kisan Morcha was created in the recent past as a coordination mechanism for this Dilli Chalo program of the farmers”.
“These farmers have had to face unprecedented obstacles placed in their way by Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments presumably also at the behest of the central government, which tried every possible means to stop them – regular barricades, sand-laden trucks in multiple layers, huge boulders placed across the roads and even trenches on the road, water canons and tear gas. All of this in the cruel and cold blooded act in the cold winter days in North India. We are still managing to march forward, and thankfully without any untoward incident so far”.
Security has been deployed at Tikri border as protesting farmers are gathered here despite being given permission to hold their demonstrations at the Nirankari Samagam Ground in Burari area.
Farmers at the approved protest site -Nirankari Samagam Ground in Burari. A farmer says, "Our protest will continue till the Farm laws are not withdrawn. We are here for the long haul."
A meeting of farmers from Punjab underway at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana) as they continue their protest.
Navdeep Singh (26), who had grabbed headlines for climbing atop water cannon to turn it off during farmers stir in Ambala district on November 25, has been booked for attempt to murder. Navdeep Singh has been booked in the same FIR in which BKU president Gurnam Singh Chaduni has been booked.
Navdeep’s father, Jai Singh Jalbera, is also an accused in this FIR. The police have accused them of attempting to run over policemen with a speeding tractor-trolley by breaking the police barricading.
It’s learnt the agitating farmers were finding it difficult to move to Delhi because of barricading by the police on the Ambala-Delhi highway amid use of water cannons on the protesters.
Thousands of farmers from Punjab and Haryana, seeking repeal of newly enacted farm laws and assurances from the Centre on the MSP regime and the mandi system, reached the gates of Delhi Friday where police used tear gas, water cannons and lathis to block their march.
The showdown between police and the protesting farmers, who showed up in hundreds of vehicles, tractors and trolleys, took place at the Singhu border on GT Karnal Road. By afternoon, police stepped back, allowing farmers to head to the Nirankari Ground in Burari, less than a kilometre away. Many farmers, though, appeared reluctant to move, and were still at the border late evening.
With the Centre making no new effort to reach out to the farmers — Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, reiterating that farmer organisations had been called for another round of talks on December 3, urged protesters to return in view of Covid-19 and winter — Delhi Police sought permission from the Delhi government to use nine stadiums as makeshift detention centres.
Heavy security has been deployed at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana) where protesting farmers are gathered. Delhi Police Friday gave permission to farmers to hold their demonstrations at the Nirankari Samagam Ground in Delhi's Burari.
Farmers, participating in 'Delhi Chalo' protest march, had settled in for the night at Nirankari Samagam Ground in Burari, where they have been permitted to hold their protest against Farm Laws. Arrangements were made for the farmers at the Ground, by Delhi Government.
Around 8 pm at Singhu on the Delhi-Haryana border, the chemical odour of teargas has been replaced by the winter breeze. Broken concrete barriers and empty shells strewn across GT Karnal Highway are a reminder of clashes between farmers and the police which took place earlier in the day. And while permission was eventually granted for farmers to move to Nirankari ground in Burari, most decided to stay put.
As temperatures dipped, hundreds of tractors could be seen lined up on either side of the highway here from Ambala, Mohali, Ludhiana, Amritsar and other parts of Punjab and Haryana; the tractors have now become "mini-homes", equipped with ration and other paraphernalia needed for a long haul.
Most farmers had covered their vehicles with plastic sheets in case it rained. While some set up mattresses and blankets on the tractors itself, others lay a bedsheet on the road or underneath the vehicles.
"If it was about comfort, we would have stayed home. We can sleep on the road, the divider or the footpath if needed. But we will stay here. We are helping each other in terms of food and other essentials," said Harpreet, a farmer from Ludhiana.
Around 100 farmers have reached at Nirankari Ground in North-West Delhi district hours after permission was granted to them by the Delhi Police for entering in Delhi to hold a peaceful protest.
Appealing to protesting farmers to end their agitation, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday said the government is ready to discuss all issues with them.
After braving water cannons and clashing with security personnel, thousands of farmers started entering the national capital on Friday as part of their 'Delhi Chalo' march against the Centre's new farm laws. Earlier in the day, Tomar said the new farm laws will bring a tremendous improvement in farmers' lives.
He said the government was already engaging with various farmer bodies and they have been called for discussions on December 3. Tomar appealed to protesting farmers to end their stir and come forward for talks. "The government is ready for all discussions...," the minister said.
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh Friday slammed the BJP-JJP government in neighbouring Haryana for its continued use of “brute force” to stop protesting farmers even after the Union government allowed them to enter Delhi and hold peaceful agitation.
“Though the central government has allowed the farmers to enter the national capital to exercise their democratic right to protest, the Haryana government is engaged in a confrontationist approach against the farmers moving towards Delhi. What's the need for such harsh measures? This barbarism needs to stop right now @mlkhattar ji,” Amarinder said in a tweet.
Expressing shock at the methods used by the Khattar government in its bid to stop the farmers, including destruction of public property by digging up the national highway, Amarinder said, “The farmers did not inflict even an iota of damage to any public property over the past three months of their protest, and here is a state government that is brazenly and shamelessly digging up roads made of public money.”
The Punjab CM also reiterated his appeal to the central government to initiate immediate talks to address farmers' concerns and resolve the simmering issue. Having taken the first step towards finding a peaceful and amicable solution to the problem, the Centre should now move quickly towards holding further talks with the Kisan Unions to thrash out the problem triggered by the agricultural legislations, which have threatened the lives and livelihoods of the farmers, he said.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav said that farmers are agitated at the anti-agricultural policies of the BJP government, but instead of adopting a positive attitude towards their demands, it was using teargas shells, water cannons and batons on them.
"Due to its act, the BJP has shown its insensitive and anti-people character," he said, adding that the new agri laws are anti-farmer and should be immediately withdrawn. PTI
Protesting farmers have entered Delhi through Tikri border after braving police clash and water cannons. However, farmers gathered at the Singhu border have not entered the city so far. Plumes of smoke were seen as security personnel used multiple rounds of tear gas to disperse the protesting farmers at the Singhu border. Farmers also pelted stones at police and broke barricades in an attempt to enter Delhi.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Friday denied permission to the Delhi Police to convert the city's stadiums into temporary jails in view of the protest by farmers against the Centre's new farm laws. While rejecting the Delhi Police's request, Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain said that every Indian citizen has the constitutional right to protest peacefully for which they cannot be put in jails. In a letter to the principal home secretary, Jain said the central government should accept the demands of the protesters and added that putting farmers in jails is not the solution. Police used tear gas at the Singhu and Tikri borders to disperse protesting farmers, mainly from Punjab, as they tried to enter the national capital on Friday morning as part of their 'Delhi Chalo' march. But later in the day, after discussions with farmer leaders, the Delhi Police allowed the protesters to enter the national capital and hold peaceful demonstration at the Nirankari ground in Burari.
A farmer was killed and two others were injured on Friday as the tractor-trolley in which they were travelling to the national capital in response to the "Delhi Chalo" call was hit by a truck in Haryana's Bhiwani district, said police. The incident occurred at Mundhal in Bhiwani district on early Friday when the truck hit the tractor at a police barricade, they said. A case was registered against the truck driver who hit the tractor, killing a protesting farmer and injuring two others, a Haryana Police spokesperson said. "In this accident, Tanna Singh, a farmer from Mansa in Punjab, died on the spot while two others were injured. The police immediately rushed the injured to the Bhiwani Civil Hospital for treatment," the spokesperson added.
Aam Aadmi Party's Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha on Friday met Delhi Police officials and asked them to ensure farmers, who are protesting against the Centre's farm laws, do not face any hardships during their demonstration at the Nirankari ground in his constituency. Jha said that he also met farmers' representatives and assured them that he will try his best to ensure farmers do not face any kind of problem or hardships while holding their protest.
Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Friday appealed to the people of the state to extend all possible help like food and accommodation to farmers marching towards the national capital as part of a 'Delhi Chalo' march against the Centre's new farm laws.
As more and more farmers moving towards Delhi to protest against the contentious farm laws, members and supporters of BKU Ugrahan are carrying daily essentials for famers in trolleys and tractors. Express Photo by Harmeet Sodhi.
Punjab AAP incharge Jarnail Singh along with other AAP MLAs is seen protesting outside PM house in delhi. "The farmers will not sit silently until the BJP government withdraws all three black laws. The dictatorial government is not allowing farmers to perform peacefully. The Aam Aadmi Party is with the farmers," says Singh.
Supporting the farmers, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called for removal of farm laws. He said, " No government in the world can stop the farmers fighting the battle for truth. The Modi government has to accept the demands of the farmers and black laws will have to be withdrawn."
Thousands of farmers were allowed to enter Delhi today after a morning of clashes with the police at the Haryana border. The farmers — who are opposing the three central farm laws — have been granted permission to hold 'peaceful protests' at Nirankari Ground in North-West Delhi. Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday welcomed the Centre’s decision to allow the agitating farmers to enter Delhi but slammed the ML Khattar government in Haryana for its continued use of brute force to stop farmers even after the Union Government’s conciliatory move.
Kisan Sangharsh Samiti convener Mandeep Nathwan told The Indian Express that 5,000 farmers have entered into Delhi from Tikri border. The farmers came from Delhi - Sirsa highway side, he added
A tense situation prevailed at Delhi's Sindhu border as thousands of farmers led by Haryana Bhartiya Kisan Union chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni broke the first barricade. The police resorted to opening tear gas.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar urged the farmers to talk to the Central government over their demands. "The central government is always ready for talks. I appeal to all the farming brothers to directly talk to the Center for all their legitimate issues. The protest is not the way, the solution will come out of talks," he tweeted.
The Punjab 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.
Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain denies permission to police to use stadiums as temporary jails.
Situation was tense at the border points as Delhi Police made repeated announcements on loudspeakers asking the farmers to retreat. "We will enter Delhi. We will get these anti-farmer laws repealed. We were welcomed at the national capital by tear gas shells lobbed by Delhi police," said a farmer from Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab who was among those who managed to reach near the Singhu border. Another farmer who had reached the Haryana-Delhi border point in Sonipat, asked why authorities were stopping them from holding a peaceful protest. “We are they stopping us? Why don't they allow us in? Don't we have democratic right to protest in a peaceful manner? Punjabis made supreme sacrifices for the country's freedom... Farmers meet the food needs of the nation, but today the Centre is behaving as if we are terrorists and has put thousands of security personnel to stop our peaceful march,” he said. (PTI)
"When the whole farming community is against the new farm laws, why is the govt so adamant about taking it forward? Are corporate interests more important than farmers' lives?" Congress leader and former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah tweeted.
Stating that the voice of farmers cannot be muzzled indefinitely, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh asked the Centre to immediately initiate talks with Kisan Union leaders to defuse the tense situation at the Delhi borders. "Central govt needs to show statesmanship and accept the farmers' demand for assured MSP, which is the basic right of every farmer. Why wait till December 3?" he tweeted.
The Haryana Police acted with “great restraint” against farmers from Punjab who broke barricades during their Delhi Chalo march, DGP Manoj Yadava Thursday said, adding that “aggressive” farmers tried to disturb law and order by “pelting stones” at the force at many places. Some personnel sustained injuries and police and private vehicles were damaged, Yadava added.
Farmers from Punjab faced water cannons and broke police barriers at the state’s border with Haryana as they pushed towards the national capital in protest against the Centre’s farm laws. By late evening, a large number of protesters from Punjab and Haryana were close to Delhi, where too police were deployed in strength at border points. “We handled the situation with great restraint ensuring law and order is maintained,” Yadava said.
When asked about water cannons being used at Shambhu and some other places, he said farmers who entered Haryana from Punjab broke police barricades at many points. Read more
Farmers in Sirsa jump barricades to make their way to Delhi
As trucks and trolley rolled into Haryana from Punjab carrying protesting farmers on Thursday, several women were seen riding along to take part in the agitation. Part of the famers Delhi Chalo protest are over 40,000 women, with a majority of them (nearly 30,000) congregated at two morchas being organised by BKU (Ugrahan). While around 10,000 marched towards Delhi on Thursday, the remaining, associated with the Ugrahan group, will start their journey for the national capital on Friday.
“Women were less in number at Sardulgarh morcha, but still they were present and they marched ahead with us after we removed the barriers placed by Haryana government at Sardulgarh-Sirsa border,” said Buta Singh Burjgill, president of BKU (Dakaunda). “Over 500 women also went from Lalru side towards Delhi. They have carried their clothes as they are aware that there is no date to come back,” said Jagmohan Singh Patiala, general secretary of BKU (Dakaunda). Read more
Punjab farmers, representing over 30 farm bodies, have announced they will go to Delhi through several routes -- Lalru, Shambhu, Patiala-Pehowa, Patran-Khanauri, Moonak-Tohana, Ratia-Fatehabad and Talwandi-Sirsa. Tension was escalating at all the border points. Farmers have assembled near the borders in tractor-trolleys laden with rations and essentials for their proposed Delhi march. Authorities in Haryana have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in several parts of the state to prevent assembly of the protesters.