New Delhi:
Modified tractors, carrying rations, woollens, essential items and people, trundled through Haryana in the chilly winter evening as thousands farmers slowly moved closer to Delhi, undeterred by police barricades, tear gas and water cannons. The day has been replete with clashes — on one occasion the protesters even pitched the yellow iron barricades into the river below while trying to cross a narrow bridge. The farmers say they are prepared for a six-month protest in Delhi if need be and will not return until the Centre’s three farm laws — which leave them vulnerable to big corporates and threaten their livelihood — are repealed. Leaders in Punjab and Haryana, meanwhile carried on a political tussle, with the BJP accusing the Congress of brainwashing farmers for its own interest and Congress hitting back with sharp questions.
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Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar — whose state was hugely criticised for its use of force against farmers — hit out at his Punjab counterpart Amarinder Singh, accusing him of playing “cheap politics” during the pandemic. Mr Singh, he said, was “only tweeting and running away from talks” over the issue.
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Amarinder Singh hit back, questioning if he was inciting the farmers, why farmers from Haryana were joining the protest. Earlier, he had slammed the Haryana government, tweeting, “Why is @mlkhattar govt in Haryana stopping the farmers from moving to Delhi? The tyrannical use of brute force against peacefully protesting farmers is totally undemocratic & unconstitutional”.
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“Today is Punjab’s 26/11. We are witnessing the end of the right to democratic protest. @Akali_Dal_ condemns the Haryana govt & Centre for choosing to repress the peaceful farmer movement,” tweeted Akali leader Sukhbir Singh Badal.
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The Punjab farmers, who had been camping out at the sealed Haryana border since yesterday, started their march this morning. Most have managed to reach Haryana’s Karnal and are now struggling to move forward.
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The protesters had an intense clash with the police on a bridge in Haryana, nearly 200 km from Delhi. As the barricades were thrown into the river the police responded with tear gas and water cannons, which further enraged the protesters. After two hours, the police allowed the farmers to proceed.
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Thousands of farmers from Haryana have been making their way towards Delhi since yesterday, despite the police crackdown. Most of them spent the night at Karnal and had started the march towards Panipat, but have been stopped midway by the police.
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Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav who was leading a team of farmers, was detained by the Haryana Police at Gurugram. “It is a very strange pandemic,” Mr Yadav told NDTV. “Three days ago, Dushyant Chautala rallied thousands of farmers. No mask. No social distancing. Then there is no pandemic. Bihar election – no pandemic. When farmers gather, then there is pandemic,” he said.
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Towards the evening, massive traffic jams were seen on the roads to Delhi especially at Gurugram — mostly the result of Haryana police checking the vehicles for the presence of farmers. The roadblocks were also intense in places such as Kundli, near Sonipat, and on the Delhi-Gurugram border at Sirhaul and Rajokri.
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The trouble is expected to continue tomorrow, with farmers from six states — Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Kerala and Punjab — backing the march to Delhi. The protest, planned for over two months, has the support of 500 farmers’ organisations across the country. The farmers have not responded to agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar’s appeal for talks on December 3. “The government is committed to the welfare of farmers and we are ready for talks. Whether it’s about minimum support price or infrastructure, we are ready for discussion,” he said.
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For nearly three months, the farmers have been up in arms against the farm laws, aimed at bringing reforms by doing away with middlemen and improving farmers’ earnings by allowing them to sell produce anywhere in the country. The farmers and opposition parties contend that the laws could lead to government stopping the system of buying grain at guaranteed prices, which would leave farmers at the mercy of corporates.
