BKU (Ugrahan) activists damage police vehicles on entering Haryana

Hundreds of Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) supporters entered Haryana after breaking barricades at Dabwali in Sirsa district on Friday as they headed on the Dilli Chalo protest against the Centre’s farm laws.

Unlike Thursday, they did not face much resistance from Haryana Police personnel who were deployed in full strength on the inter-state border. The farmers drove into Haryana in tractor-trolleys, jeeps and canters.

The Ugrahan faction had announced that it would start the Dilli Chalo march around noon but protesters, including a sizeable number of young activists, started breaking the barricades from as early as 10am.

No clash was reported at the entry point.

A larger of a number of BKU supporters gathered at Doomwali village in Bathinda district since early on Friday morning.

A few women activists were also spotted at the agitation site and later headed to Delhi.

FARMERS DAMAGE RIOT CONTROL VEHICLES

As farmers entered the Haryana border, some of them damaged police vehicles and water cannons on the Bathinda-Sirsa-Delhi highway.

The BKU had on Thursday announced a week-long peaceful dharna at Doomwali due to the heavy barricading by Haryana Police but was forced to review its decision and head for Delhi after backlash from its members, particularly youngsters.

Following strong criticism, the Ugrahan faction leadership was forced to do a U-turn and decided to march to Delhi with full force.

LARGEST AMONG 31 FARMER ORGANISATIONS

The Left-leaning union is considered the largest among the 31 farmer organisations from Punjab with a significant following in Sangrur, Mansa, Bathinda and Barnala districts.

The union is seen as an aggressive front with sizeable support of women and youngsters.

The Ugrahan faction has been maintaining a distance from the joint platform of 30-farm and workers unions in protest against the central farm laws.