Rakesh Tikait says kisan will sit on protest till Gandhi jayanti; Chakka jam peaceful at KMP, Punjab, Haryana; scattered demonstrations in other States
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Saturday said that the farmers will stay put at borders of the national Capital till October 2, demanding to repeal the Centre’s agri-marketing laws.
“We will sit here till October 2,” said Tikait, who is leading the ongoing farmers’ protest at Ghazipur border, one of the protest sites. Tikait also said that they had received inputs regarding some miscreants who will try to disrupt peace during the chakka jam on Saturday.
“Because of these inputs, we had decided to call off the ‘chakka jam’ in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand,” the 51-year-old Tikait, credited with reviving the farmers’ stir, said.
“Nobody can touch the farmlands, the farmers will protect it. Both farmers and soldiers should come forward for it,” Tikait said.
Interacting with security personnel who were on the other side of the barricading, Tikait said, bowing his head and folded hands, “My pranaam (a respectful salutation) to you all. Now you all will protect my farms.”
Loud rustic protest songs blared from speakers, the Tricolour fluttered atop trucks and tractors, and commuters mostly waited patiently as farmers blocked the KMP Expressway on Saturday as part of their three-hour “chakka jam” to press their demand for repeal of the three new agricultural laws. The call for the nationwide “chakka jam” between 12 pm and 3 pm was given by the farmer unions protesting at the Delhi borders the Centre’s agricultural laws.
“I came to the stretch at 11 am. There were very few people then, but the number swelled in no time. The purpose is to peacefully do just what is instructed to us by our leaders — block the road till 3 pm,” said Mukesh Sharma, a local farmer supporting the movement.
Biscuits and fruits were distributed among the protesting farmers sitting on the road. Those coming to the stretch with their vehicles were politely informed about the protest and requested to turn back.
“We don’t want to cause any inconvenience to the people,” said Ajit Ahluwalia (29), from Haryana’s Hisar.
“That’s precisely the reason why the call given was for three hours only. Security forces have been blocking ours and theirs passage for so many days. We expect the ‘aam aadmi’ to cooperate with us for some hours at least. And the truth is they are,” he said.
Some vehicles, carrying people with emergency health conditions, were allowed to pass without any delay.
The 136-km Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) was built to decongest the ever-busy roads of Delhi, especially by reducing the number of trucks entering the national Capital, thus helping to curb pollution. The commuters, mostly waiting patiently, said they knew about the “chakka-jam” but had to be out due to social and professional engagements.
While Satnam Sandhu (42), a private contractor, had to attend a business meeting; Sonu Ahuja and his family were going for his cousin’s wedding. “We are farmers ourselves, and support the farmers’ movement completely. I have gone to the Singhu Border many a times for the protes,” said 36-year-old Ahuja.
Thousands of farmers have been protesting since late November at the Delhi borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, demanding a rollback of the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and 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.
The three-hour-long agitation was announced to register protest against the internet ban in areas near their agitation sites, alleged harassment meted out to farmers by the authorities and other issues.
Several highways, including the Chandigarh-Zirakpur, Amritsar-Pathankot, Tarn Taran-Kapurthala, Ferozepur-Fazilka, Muktsar-Kotkapura, Bathinda-Chandigarh, Ludhiana-Jalandhar, Panchkula-Pinjore, Patiala-Kaithal, Jind-Karnal, Karnal-Kaithal, Ambala – Chandigarh Highway, Ambala- Hisar and Mansa-Sirsa were also blocked by the protesting farmers.
Meanwhile, farmers on Saturday parked their tractor-trailers in the middle of roads and raised slogans against the Centre during a three-hour-long “chakka jam” agitation in Punjab and Haryana.
The call for the nationwide “chakka jam” was given by the Samkyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farm unions protesting the Centre’s farm laws at the Delhi borders.
Farmer leaders claimed that their three-hour stir remained peaceful in both States.
“The ‘chakka jam’ was completely peaceful,” said Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan.
Several highways, including the Chandigarh-Zirakpur, Amritsar-Pathankot, Tarn Taran-Kapurthala, Ferozepur-Fazilka, Muktsar-Kotkapura, Bathinda-Chandigarh, Fazilka-Malout, Ludhiana-Jalandhar, Panchkula-Pinjore, Patiala-Kaithal, Jind-Karnal, Karnal-Kaithal, Bhiwani-Hisar, Ambala-Chandigarh, Ambala- Hisar and Mansa-Sirsa were blocked by the protesting farmers.
Protests were also held at Shambhu near Ambala and at many toll plazas in both States. Traffic was also disrupted at the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway. Protesting farmers said ambulances, army vehicles and school buses were allowed during the ‘’chakka jam’’.
Though police authorities diverted traffic at many places, commuters faced traffic snarls.
Kokrikalan said they blocked roads at 33 places in 15 Punjab districts, including Sangrur, Barnala and Bathinda.
“Around 6,000 to 7,000 protesters on an average took part in ‘chakka jam’ at each place,” claimed Kokrikalan while commenting on the protest by the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan).
Farmers carried placards with slogans “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” and “Kisan Ekta Zindabad”. They also raised slogans against the Centre for not acceding to their demand of repealing the farm legislations.
In the morning, farmers started assembling at their earmarked protest sites in both States.
They parked tractor-trailers and other vehicles on roads. Women took part in the agitation in sizeable number at several places, including in Punjab’s Sangrur and Ludhiana.
“The Government should repeal the three laws as they are not in the interest of the farming community,” said a protester at the Shambhu border.
Punjabi actors Binnu Dhillon, Dev Kharoud and singer Pammi Bai took part in a protest in Patiala.
In Phagwara, Bharti Kisan Union (Doaba) leader Kirpal Singh Moosapur said protesters squatted near a sugar mill and raised slogans against the BJP-led Centre.
Protesters also honked horns for one minute, said Moosapur.
Sunday, 07 February 2021 | Staff Reporter | New Delhi
