Farmers from different states camping on the Delhi-Jaipur highway at Sangwari Chowk in Rewari and Masani village near Dharuhera returned to their base camp at Shahjahanpur on Thursday, a day after local villagers asked them to vacate the sites following the violence in Delhi.
However, a majority of the farmers who have been protesting at Shahjahanpur also left for their villages, said police. Of the 1,000 protesters, hardly 100 remained at the camp at the Haryana-Rajasthan border on Thursday.
Sitting on the main carriageway, farmer leaders were addressing the gathering, stating that they would not be moving from this site. They also mentioned that more farmers have been called to join them from villages across Rajasthan and Haryana.
A group of farmers was seen reciting poems, sharing jokes and sharing their life experiences to keep the remaining protesters engaged, before the lunchtime.
Kamaljeet Singh, a farmer from Ganganagar in Rajasthan, said that they would not vacate the site and ensure that more farmers join them by Sunday. “Rajasthan villagers are supporting us and came to meet us on Thursday morning. They have extended their support and have assured us that they will take care of our food and dry ration and will send freshly cooked food, if required,” he said.
Rewari police said that they have reduced the police deployment at the Rajasthan-Haryana border from 1,500 personnel to 600, including eight companies of paramilitary forces.
{{/usCountry}}Rewari police said that they have reduced the police deployment at the Rajasthan-Haryana border from 1,500 personnel to 600, including eight companies of paramilitary forces.
{{/usCountry}}Rajesh Kumar, deputy superintendent of Bawal, said, “We reduced deployment of forces at night after the majority of farmers left the Shahjahanpur border. During the day, we have deployed nearly 600 personnel from police and paramilitary forces and at night, only 150 personnel from all forces.”
He, however, added that it is likely that the remaining farmers would vacate the site soon.
Kumar said the villagers had met the protesters on Thursday and wanted to meet their leaders, who have been missing from the sites and have not returned to base camps after January 26 tractor parade, when they had gone till Manesar.
Two leaders, who were not at the site, confirmed that they had returned to their villages to discuss the plans after the rally in Delhi turned violent and clashes broke out between the police and protesters.
Satnarayan Nehra, the president of Nehra Khap of Haryana, said they are embarrassed by the Delhi incident and have returned to their village to plan another strategy, as villagers pulled their support and asked them to vacate the sites. “There is lot of pressure on us and after Delhi violence, we are planning to do a silent and hunger protest. We have not run from the sites, but will return after two days after discussing with our counterparts. Many farmers have denied to support us,” he said.
Since December 14 of 2020, protesters had occupied both sides of the carriageways and had set up tents on the service lanes, blocking the National Highway-48.
On Wednesday, panchayats of 20 villages in Rewari had held a meeting and decided to give an ultimatum to the farmers protesting at Masani since January 1, asking them to vacate by Thursday or be forcefully thrown out by residents.
Capt (retd) Lala Ram, sarpanch of Masani village, said that residents of Rajasthan villages have approached them for their support and soon, they would ask the protesters to vacate the Shahjahanpur border as well. “The protesters have vacated the area in Masani but they did not even clean the area before leaving. We have called people from other areas and sweepers to clean the stretch so that commuters can stop at the eateries. They have damaged our crops and fields by using the area for open defecation,” he said.
Ram said a team went to check if any tents or belongings remained, but there was none and that they have vacated without even thanking them for their support.
The police said that the farmers from Maharashtra and Gujarat have returned to their states and protesters camping at the site are from Rajasthan and Haryana only. The violence that prevailed in other parts of the National Capital Region during the tractor parade on Republic Day resulted in villagers giving an ultimatum to protesters to vacate the camp sites.
Nehra said that a hunger strike is being planned to put pressure on the government. “We are discussing with our counterparts and the final decision will be taken on Friday,” he said.