Law enforcement converged on Haryana borders, keeping a hawk-eye watch on farmers assembled from neighbouring Punjab ahead of a planned "Delhi Chalo" march today to protest against the Centre's new farm laws.
Delhi Police on Wednesday had asserted it has rejected requests received from various farmer organisations to protest in the national capital against the Centre's new farm laws on November 26 and 27. The police had on Tuesday said that legal action would be taken against the protesting farmers if they come to the city for any gathering amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The farmers will reach Delhi on November 26 through five highways connecting the city as part of their 'Delhi Chalo' march call. The BJP government in Haryana has said it will seal its borders with Congress-run Punjab for the next two days, stopping farmers on their march to Delhi.
In Haryana, police used water cannons at least twice Wednesday to disperse protesting farmers and stop them from going to Delhi. The Haryana authorities also imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC in several parts of the state to prevent assembly of protesters.
Haryana also suspended its bus service to Punjab for November 26 and 27, state Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma told PTI.
The Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) too suspended its bus services to Haryana for the next two days. It said in a release that the CTU operations in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh may also get affected. Meanwhile, braving the cold and rainy conditions, thousands of farmers assembled with their tractor-trailers near the Haryana borders in Punjab. Farmer bodies said they will hold a dharna wherever stopped from moving towards the national capital.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugarhan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan on Wednesday said around 25,000 women will participate in the protest march and over 4,000 tractor-trailers have been arranged it. The BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) has claimed that over two lakh farmers associated with it will enter Haryana through Khanauri and Dabwali.
Farmers have brought ration, vegetables, wood and other essentials for their march. In view of cold weather conditions, they have stocked quilts, blankets and covered their trolleys with tarpaulin. "We are ready for the battle, which may last long," said Kokrikalan.