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Chakka jam: Delhi Police monitoring social media, tightening overall security
Protesting farmers' unions have called a 3-hour, pan-India road blockade on February 6, protesting internet suspensions.
After what happened in Delhi during farmers' tractor march on Republic Day, the Delhi Police are taking additional measures for the farmers' next proposed event on 'Chakka jam' to be held on February 6.
Bharatiya Kisan Union, one of the unions representing protesting farmers, said that the 'chakka jam' will be held across India, except in Delhi. It will be a three-hour-long symbolic protest. People who will get stuck will be given food and water and will be explained the jam peacefully, the union has said.
However, as their tractor march on January 26 broke the vow of a peaceful protest and led to a violent stand-off in the Capital, the Delhi Police are leaving no stones unturned to maintain the law and order situation in the Capital. Adequate security arrangements are being ensured at the borders so that no protester can enter the Capital, Delhi Police public relation officer Chinmoy Biswal said. The Delhi Police is also in touch with the forces in other states, he added.
Will not enter Delhi, say farmers as police prepare for chakka jam
Social media platforms are also on the radar as the Delhi Police found external links through the social media toolkit that became the centre of controversies after Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg shared it on her Twitter account.
"We are monitoring content on social media to make sure rumours are not spread against Police or other things," Biswal said.
The 'chakka jam' will be in protest against the snapping of internet connection at border areas. As part of their tomorrow's protest, farmers are planning to block highways. RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Kisan Sangh is not supporting the jam.
Partial internet suspension was imposed on January 26 soon after protesters clashed with Delhi Police. Since then, there have been frequent internet suspensions on the border and surrounding areas, which drew the attention of international media, celebrities.
On Thursday, Union home minister Amit Shah held a meeting with Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava and took stock of the law and order situation. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval was also present in the meeting.
The Haryana Police have also issued directives to deploy maximum forces on February 6. Intelligence network should be geared up, it said. Haryana home minister Anil Vij has also appealed to the union leaders to call off their strike.
