Despite heavy security deployment, groups of farmers from Punjab managed to reach near two Delhi borders on Friday morning after breaking police barricades in Haryana as part of their protest march against the Centres farm laws.
The farmers are demanding the repeal of the new agri-reform laws, which they claim will lead to will the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system.
Farmers march to Delhi – November 26, 2020: As it happened
Here are the live updates:
Delhi Police fire tear gas
The Delhi Police used tear gas shells to disperse a group of farmers who had reached the Singhu border as part of their Delhi Chalo march.
The shells were fired at the border point which connects Delhi with Haryana.
The police officer said, We are using tear gas to disperse protesting farmers. We are also informing them that in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, any kind of rally and dharna is not allowed.
They have been denied permission and legal action will be taken against them if they still try to enter Delhi, the officer further said.
Security has been strengthened at the border and sand-laden trucks and water cannons have been stationed. Barbed wire is also being used for fencing at the Singhu border to prevent the protesters from entering the city.
Groups of agitating farmers from Punjab reach near Delhi borders
Two groups of farmers from Punjab managed to reach near the Singhu and Tikri borders as Delhi Police fired tear gas shells at them to prevent them from entering the city.
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 We will get these anti-farmer laws repealed.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.
According to the group, they had taken night halts at various points and broke the police barriers in Panipat, Haryana, to reach near the Delhi border.
One more group of farmers had reached near Delhis Tikri border after entering Haryana from Rohtak district.
A farmer leader leading a group of protesters at Haryanas border with Punjab in Dabwali, said they will break police barriers later in the day to march ahead.
Delhi Chalo march gets overwhelming response from women
Farmers Delhi Chalo protest on Thursday saw an overwhelming response from women as they joined elderly farmers and youth to press the Centre to scrap three farm laws.
Stating that they were ready for a do or die battle against the union government, women owing allegiance to various farmers outfits braved cold weather to set out for Delhi.
A number of them travelled on tractor trolleys carrying ration and other essentials to participate in the protest.
We have brought with us enough stocks of ration, quilts, mattresses and other essentials. We are prepared for this do or die battle and will rest only when the Modi government rolls back the farm laws, a 68-year-old woman, who was travelling in a tractor with her family, said. – PTI
NDA ally Beniwal says Centre should withdraw new farm laws
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) convenor and Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal on Thursday said the Centre should listen to the farmers issues and withdraw the recently passed farm laws.
The RLP is an ally of the ruling NDA government at the Centre.
The central government needs to take back the agricultural bills after hearing the issues of farmers coming to Delhi to protest against the agricultural bills, Beniwal said in a tweet.
He further said, Governments of nearby states including Haryana should not adopt any oppressive policy against farmers. If the police and governments adopted oppressive policy against farmers, the RLP will hold demonstrations across the country, including in Rajasthan, in favour of farmers.