The nationwide 'chakka-jam' led by farmers commenced at noon on Saturday, with farmers blocking roads at several places in Punjab and Haryana. Around 50 people were detained near Shaheedi Park in central Delhi on Saturday for allegedly holding a protest in support of the 'chakka jam'.
Farmers' unions had on Monday announced a countrywide 'chakka jam' from 12 noon to 3 pm on February 6 when they would block national and state highways in protest against theinternet ban in areas near their agitation sites, harassment allegedly meted out to them by authorities, and other issues.
The police have stepped up security and made all arrangements for traffic diversion, said officials, adding adequate police personnel were deployed in Punjab and Haryana. Entry and exit facilities at several prominent Delhi metro stations were on Saturday temporarily closed in view of the 'chakka jam'.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of the farmer unions protesting the three farm laws, said on Friday the protesters will not block roads in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the 'chakka jam', even as it asserted that peasants in other parts of the country will block national and state highways for three hours, but in a peaceful way. Protesting farmers said emergency vehicles including ambulances and school buses will be allowed during the 'chakka jam'.
In Karnataka, too, farmers blocked highways in different parts of the state. 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. Several agitating farmers were detained in Bengaluru, according to a report by Deccan Herald.
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.
-with PTI inputs