Cops stopping supplies from reaching us, allege farmers in Haryana

Farmers protesting on the Delhi-Jaipur highway at Sangwari Chowk in Rewari and Masani village near Dharuhera alleged on Wednesday that the police and administration

Farmers protesting on the Delhi-Jaipur highway at Sangwari Chowk in Rewari and Masani village near Dharuhera alleged on Wednesday that the police and administration had stopped tractor-trolleys that were ferrying their food supplies and other relief materials at least 10 kilometres before the protest site.

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Protesters alleged that they had run out of food on Monday and most of them had to sleep on an empty stomach. They alleged that the police were not allowing vehicles to deliver raw materials and ration for them to cook food.

On December 31, farmers had broken the barricades at Shahjahanpur and entered Rewari, crossing the Shahjahanpur interstate border in Rajasthan. They have stayed put at Masani and Sangwari Chowk, from where their movement was stopped by the police, who had to use mild force and tear gas on January 3.

Many women and children, who had joined the protest on January 3, returned home on Tuesday due to a lack of medical aid at the site as a few of them fell ill.

Satnarayan Nehra, the president of Nehra Khap of Haryana, said, “There are nearly 3,000 farmers protesting at Masani village. No water tankers are allowed to reach us nor any ration. How will we cook food and consume if the situation remains the same?”

Ram Krishan Mehlawat, the Rewari president of Rashtriya Kisan Union, said that roadside eateries and residents of nearby villages are supporting them by providing food but that is not sufficient for all. “We are offering food to a few people and have divided them so that each one can get at least one meal a day. We did not prepare tea on Tuesday as there was no milk. The gas cylinders are empty and we have no means to get them refilled. If the situation remains the same for the next two days, the protest will turn into a hunger strike,” he said.

Vijay Yadav, a social worker from Shikohpur village near Manesar, who has been protesting since December 12, said that they tried to use tractors from fields to deliver ration but were stopped by the police. “The tractors loaded with vegetables and ration are stationed 10 kilometres away. We tried to get ration and walked down to the border but we could not unload the sacks,” he said.

Rajesh Kumar, deputy superintendent of Bawal, denied the allegations and said that they had not stopped any essential supplies. However, he said that farmers are not being allowed to cross the stretch. “Food and ration is being served to them by locals and is available At stores and shops along the national highway. If they are facing any issues, they should inform us or write to us. The allegations are baseless,” he said.

The police said that due to the protest, commuters travelling from Gururgam to Jaipur have to take a diversion from Dharuhera to Kotputli in Rajasthan via Khori, Pali and Kund, increasing their commute by at least 50 kilometres. The diversion for commuters from Jaipur to Delhi is through Kotputli via Alwar, which connects Tauru via Bhiwadi and connects to the national highway at Manesar.

The Gururgam police said that to ensure smooth traffic flow, they are diverting heavy vehicles from Rajiv Chowk towards Ferozepur Jhirka in Nuh, which connects to Rajasthan.

Astha Modi, the deputy commissioner of police (headquarters), said, “We are keeping a close watch on protesters’ movement and will not allow them to enter Gururgam district jurisdiction. The teams are on alert and we are managing traffic situation to ensure no congestion is reported on the national highway. We have deployed enough force on the highway so that daily commuters are not affected by the ongoing protest.”

Five police control room (PCR) vans and six motorbikes have also been stationed at the Kherki Daula and Bilaspur toll plazas to resolve any snarls.

Farmers, who have been protesting at the three sites since December 12, have alleged that there is no running water and no toilets for them at the protest sites in Haryana and Rajasthan and they have written to the local administration several times but to no avail.