More coming from across nation to join stir; hunger strike on Mon
As the farmers’ protest at along the borders of Delhi has yet not found a breakthrough even on the seventeenth day, farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, continued to protest on the borders of the national Capital amid showers on Saturday.
Addressing a Press conference at Singhu Border, farmers on Saturday said if the Government wants to hold talks, they are ready but the farmers will first discuss repeal of three new farm laws.
“The farmers from Rajasthan’s Shahjahanpur will start their Delhi Chalo march on Sunday around 11 am. They would be coming in thousands through Jaipur-Delhi highway,” said Kanwalpreet Singh Pannu, farmers’ leader.
Pannu said farmers from other parts of the country are also on their way to join the protesters here and they will take the agitation to the next level in the coming days.
“If the Government wants to hold talks, we are ready, but our main demand will remain the scrapping of the three laws. We will move onto our other demands only after that,” the farmer leader said.
Farmer union leaders will also sit on a hunger strike between 8 am and 5 pm on December 14 against the new agriculture laws, he said.
Pannu alleged the Government tried to weaken the agitation, but the protesting farmers did not let it happen. The farmer leader vowed to keep the protest peaceful.
Following the call given by farmers to block toll plazas, police had made adequate arrangements and these include multi-layered barricading and deployment as many as 3,500 police personnel.
“Measures were taken to ensure commuters do not face inconvenience at places were protest are being staged,” said police.
The Delhi Traffic Police has deployed its personnel across important border points to ensure commuters do not face difficulties and is constantly updating people about open and closed routes on its Twitter handle.
In series of tweets, the traffic police on Saturday informed commuters about the closure of the Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari and Mangesh borders.
Since these borders are closed, it suggested that motorists take alternative routes via Lampur, Safiabad,Saboli and Singhu School toll tax borders.
Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba and GTK Road. So, commuters have been advised to avoid Outer Ring Road, GTK Road and National Highway-44, the traffic police said.
Due to the ongoing farmers’ protests, it said both the Chilla and the Ghazipur borders are also closed for traffic from Noida and Ghaziabad.
“The Chilla & Ghazipur borders are closed for traffic from Noida & Ghaziabad to Delhi due to farmers’ protests. People are advised to take alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anad Vihar, DND, Apsara & bhopra borders,” it tweeted.
The Tikri and the Dhansa borders are also closed for traffic movement but the Jhatikara border is open only for two wheelers and pedestrian movement, the traffic police said in a tweet.
Those going towards Haryana, can take Jharoda (only single carriageway), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH 8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera borders as they are open, the traffic police said.
Meanwhile, the Sonipat district administration has offered coronavirus testing facility to protesting farmers but most of them are unwilling to get tested, fearing they would be isolated if found positive and this would weaken their agitation.
Sunday, 13 December 2020 | Staff Reporter | New Delhi
