Farmers to block highways, take over tolls

Farmers protesting at Shahjahanpur near Jaisinghpur Khera at the Haryana-Rajasthan border said that they would hold a “chakka jam” (blockades) across both the states on February 6, on the call given by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha

Farmers protesting at Shahjahanpur near Jaisinghpur Khera at the Haryana-Rajasthan border said that they would hold a “chakka jam” (blockades) across both the states on February 6, on the call given by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha. Farmers from Rajasthan also plan to make toll plazas free in the state, on the lines of Haryana and Punjab, from February 6.

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Farmers from across the country have been protesting against the three new farm laws that were passed by the Centre in September last year. They say they fear that the new laws will leave them at the mercy of corporations and end the minimum support price (MSP) for important crops.

Sharing plans about the chakka jam, Naveen Sohlot, a farmer from Bawal, said that the National Highway-48 (NH-48) will be blocked along with other roads that are currently being used for traffic movement. “Our plan is to hold the chakka jam on NH-48. Currently, we have kept a service road open for movement of ambulances and other emergency vehicles. Traffic is also moving in the area through local roads. We will be closing off the local roads for three hours on February 6. There will be no traffic movement during the chakka jam,” said Sohlot.

Ranjit Singh Raju, the coordinator of Rajasthan’s Grameen Kisan Mazdoor Samiti — one of the farmers’ bodies under the Samyukta Kisan Morcha — said that blockades will take place for a duration of three hours on February 6. “Chakka jam will take place on both national highways and state highways. Following the chakka jam, people will take over tolls in Rajasthan, like Haryana and Punjab,” said Raju.

He said that nearly a month ago, farmers had stopped toll collection at various places — Hanumangarh, Ganganagar and Bikaner in Rajasthan. “We are calling on the residents of Rajasthan to recognise their strength and stop toll collection. They should make the government understand the power of common people,” said Raju.

He said that support for the farmers’ agitation was pouring in from states beyond Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, and that people are holding meetings to strengthen the movement. “Haryana has been taking part in the agitation since the beginning. Now, we are getting massive support from Uttar Pradesh as well. The chakka jam and all other future activities will compel the government to pay heed to farmers,” said Raju.