Concreate slabs, barbed wires: Haryana blocks farmers march, State Government says politics behind march
Feb 13, 2024
Bahadurgarh (Haryana) [India], February 13 : Concrete slabs and barbed wires have been installed, and police have been deployed in Haryana's Bahadurgarh city as a measure to maintain law and order as farmers begin to march towards Delhi to press for their demands.
Haryana's Education Minister Kanwar Pal said he felt there was politics behind the farmers protest.
"The work done by this (BJP) govt for the farmers was not done previously by any govt...We are with the farmers...I feel there is politics behind this...The govt wants the farmers to become economically stronger...All issues are solved by dialogue...The farmers are satisfied but agitators are agitating. The common farmer is saying that there is no govt better than this" Kanwar Pal said.
Visuals from Kurukshetra in Haryana showed concrete slabs, iron nails, barricades, and barbed wires being erected as farmers in Punjab were on their way to Delhi. Police and paramilitary personnel have also been deployed.
According to Jhajjar (a town in Haryana) Deputy Superintendent of Police, Shamsher Bahadur, "Police have made preparations at the Tikri border. CCTV cameras and microphones have been installed (to keep close vigil on all the activities)...Sufficient security has been deployed to ensure law and order are maintained...Action will be taken according to the situation..."
The city is approximately 21 km from New Delhi and 31 km from Jhajjar, the district headquarter.
He added that the police personnel have been stationed at their respective duty positions, and a traffic advisory has been issued for commuters. "They should not be worried. Routes have been diverted."
"Delhi Chalo" is a call for a protest march towards Delhi, primarily by farmers. As part of the movement, farmers are protesting over their demands, which include a law ensuring the minimum support price for their agricultural produce and a debt waiver.
The protests come just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, which are due in May-April this year.
The farmer protest has been called by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, led by farmer union leaders Jagjeet Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher.
The farmers have put forth 12 demands before the central government, for which they're marching to Delhi.
According to the protesting farmers, the centre promised them better crop prices after which they ended the 2021 protest.
They are demanding to enact a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for all crops, as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission report.
They are also demanding a complete debt waiver and a scheme to provide pensions to farmers and farm labourers.
The farmers have also urged to scrap the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 and are demanding to reintroduce the Land Acquisition Act of 2013, ensuring consent from farmers and compensation at 4 times the collector rate.
Further, they are demanding to punish those involved in the Lakhimpur Kheri killings. An appeal to provide 200 days of employment per year and a daily wage of Rs 700 under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA) linking it with farming has also been made by the farmers.
Also, a demand to provide compensation to the families of farmers who died during the protests in 2021 and a job for any family member has been put in place.
Meanwhile, massive security arrangements have been put in place on the borders of the national capital because of the 'Delhi Chalo' protest.
To ensure law and order, Delhi police have already enforced Section 144, restricting entry of tractor trolleys and large assemblies.