NEW DELHI: Farmers protesting against the Centre’s new agri laws and other issues on Saturday blocked roads at several places in Punjab and Haryana on Saturday on the call given by the farmers’ unions for a nationwide chakka jam.
A pan-India chakka jam call has been given by farmers from 12 to 3 pm.
Here is a look at the top developments.
PAC, paramilitary forces deployed at state, national highways in UP
About 144 UP-PAC companies, six paramilitary companies, along with senior officers, have been deployed at the state and national highways and everything is being recorded in the wake of chakka jam.
Farmers in Karnataka blocked highways protesting Centre’s farm laws
Farmers blocked highways in different parts of Karnataka, to express solidarity with the protesting ryots.
In response to a call given by various farmers’ associations led by Kuruburu Shanthakumar, peasants in the state swarmed all highways leading to and out of the Bengaluru, to block it.
A few pro-Kannada organisations too came in support of the agitators and staged demonstrations.
Situation peaceful at Singhu border
The situation at Singhu border protest site in Delhi was peaceful even as internet connectivity was suspended as a precautionary measure on Saturday.
Peaceful ‘satyagraha’ of farmers in national interest: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the peaceful ‘satyagraha’ of the ‘annadatas’ is in national interest as the farm laws are “harmful” for the country.
“The peaceful satyagraha of annadatas is in national interest — these three laws are not just harmful for farmers-labourers, but also for the people and the country. Full support!” Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also slammed the government over the farmers issue by posting on Twitter a picture of the multi-layered barricading at one of the farmer protest sites.
“Why are you scaring us with the wall of fear?” she tweeted along with the picture.
Road blockades at 33 places in 15 districts
Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said they are holding road blockades at 33 places in 15 districts including Sangrur, Barnala and Bathinda in Punjab. In the morning, farmers started assembling at their earmarked protest sites for chakka jam in both the states.
Security personnel deployed at strategic locations in Delhi
Amid the nationwide call for chakka jam by the farmer unions, Delhi joint commissioner of police Alok Kumar said that police personnel have been deployed at strategic locations across national capital’s borders.
“Police personnel are deployed at strategic locations such as Road number 56, NH-24, Vikas Marg, GT Road, Jirabad Road, since it is a call for nation-wide chakka jam by the protesting farmers,” Kumar told ANI.
Gates of 8 Delhi metro stations closed
The entry and exit gates of 10 metro stations including Lal Quila, Jama Masjid, Janpath, and Central Secretariat were closed on Saturday morning.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation in the latest tweet said,” Entry/exit gates of Khan Market and Nehru Place are closed”. DMRC in earlier in the day tweeted “Entry/exit gates of Lal Quila, Jama Masjid, Janpath and Central Secretariat are closed. Interchange facility is available.”
Thousands of farmers have been protesting since late November at Delhi’s borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, demanding a rollback of the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations. However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and introduce new technologies in agriculture.
(With inputs from agencies)