Farmers’ protest: Delhi braces for 1200 tractors, bulldozers, traffic chaos

Thousands of farmers from Punjab will resume their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march today, to press for their demand of MSP support for all crops.

The protesting farmers, who are currently camping at the Haryana-Punjab Shambhu border, announced resumption of the agitation on Tuesday after the fourth round of talks with the central government failed. The march is expected to affect life in Delhi and its surrounding areas because security checkpoints set by the authorities to stop the protesting farmers might trigger traffic chaos. On Wednesday morning, farmers marching towards Delhi from Manesar were detained by the police.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come forward and help him end the protest. “We have told the govt that you can kill us but please don’t oppress the farmers. We request the Prime Minister to come forward and put an end to this protest by announcing a law on the MSP guarantee for the farmers…The country will not forgive such a govt…There are paramilitary forces deployed in the villages of Haryana…What crime have we committed?…We have made you the Prime Minister. We never thought that the forces would oppress us this way…Please protect the Constitution and let us peacefully head towards Delhi. This is our right,” he said.

Pandher promised that the protesting farmers will maintain peace. “We tried our best from our side. We attended the meetings, every point was discussed and now the decision has to be taken by the central government. We will remain peaceful…The Prime Minister should come forward and accept our demands. ₹1.5-2 lakh crore is not a huge amount…We should be allowed to remove these barriers and march towards Delhi,” he said.

The central government has estimated that nearly 14,000 people have gathered along the Punjab-Haryana border, news agency PTI reported, citing sources. The farmers are travelling in 1200 tractor trolleys, 300 cars and 10 mini-buses. The home ministry further pointed out that 4500 people having 500 tractors were also allowed to gather at the Dhabi-Gujran barrier.

The ministry of home affairs has shot off a letter to the Punjab government, saying the deteriorating law-and-order situation in the state has been a matter of concern. The home ministry alleged that many miscreants in the guise of farmers were indulging in stone-pelting, mobilising heavy machinery along the Shambhu on Punjab’s border with Haryana.

The home ministry has also raised objections to the use of tractors, JCB machines and other heavy equipment during protests.

The farmers on Monday rejected the Centre’s proposal of procuring pulses, maize and cotton at MSP by government agencies for five years. Saying it was not in farmers’ interest, they announced that they will march towards Delhi today.

Last week, farmers clashed with the Haryana police as the latter halted their march with barbed wires, concrete barricades, iron nails and other drastic measures. They also shot tear gas shells to stop the protesters.

According to reports, after having failed to break through the police’s defences, the farmers have brought in heavy machinery, including excavators and JCB machines. Special arrangements have been made in these equipment so that people operating them don’t get hit by rubber bullets.

Several farmers are also packing anti-riot gear, including gas masks.

The police, who used trucks and buses last week, are planning to block the farmers’ way with loaded shipping containers today. Heavy security deployment has been made at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders, the three main entry points into the national capital.

Traffic chaos is expected. In total, 8000 security personnel have been deployed at the three main Delhi borders. The police have installed several layers of barriers, reinforced with concrete, barbed wires and iron nails.

Dumpers, cranes and earthmovers are also being used to block the tractors from entering the national capital. The farmers are planning to reach Delhi via two approaches — via Shambhu, Ambala, Karnal, Panipat and Sonepat; and via Khanouri (on the Punjab-Haryana border), Jind and Rohtak.