'Delhi Chalo': Smoke seen at Haryana-Delhi Singhu border as security personnel use tear gas to disperse farmers
Nov 27, 2020
Haryana/ New Delhi [India], November 27 : Plumes of smoke were seen at Haryana-Delhi Singhu border on Friday as the security personnel used tear gas to disperse farmers protesting the central farm laws.
Farmers are headed to Delhi as part of their protest march against the Centre's Farm laws amid heavy security deployment. Besides the tear gas, security personal was seen marching towards the crowd, dressed in all protective gear.
Delhi Traffic Police earlier today informed that vehicles are not allowed towards the Singhu border area. "Vehicles are not allowed towards Singhu Border. Interstate vehicles may take Western/Eastern peripheral expressway," Delhi Traffic Police tweeted.
Members of Kisan Mazdoor Sangarsh Committee were seen stocking up essentials in trolleys for their tractor rally towards Delhi.
"We have loaded food material for months and cooking utensils in our trolleys. We're all headed towards Delhi now," said one of the protesting farmers.
Another protestor said: "We are approaching Delhi peacefully. They are trying to stop us by using tear gas and water cannons. We are the farmers of Punjab, we provide food grains to the people of the country. We are going to get our rights."
Meanwhile, some of the protesting farmers were seen jumping barricades in Sirsa. "Whatever we do will be peaceful. We will not harm any person or property. Even if we have to stay for a month, we will. Even if we will have to attain martyrdom, we will," said one of the farmers.
"Police personnel are trying to maintain the law and order. Police were deployed here. But due to the large strength of the farmers, they surpassed the barricade from here and moved ahead towards Delhi. We have several other barricades in Sirsa,' said SDM, Kalanwali (Sirsa).
Furthermore, the Delhi Police on Friday sought permission from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's government to convert nine stadiums into temporary prisons, in view of the 'Delhi Chalo' farmers protest.
This comes a day after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal came out in support of Punjab farmers and their protest against the Centre's recently passed farm laws, saying that peaceful protest was a Constitutional right and the use of water cannons against them was a crime.
While the government said the three laws will do away with middlemen, enabling farmers to sell their produce in the commercial markets, protestors fear that this could lead to the government not buying produce at guaranteed prices, thereby disrupting their timely payments.
The Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were passed by the Upper House in September through voice vote despite objection from opposition parties.
