Farmers’ protest: Police use water cannon, tear gas on protesters near Delhi-Haryana border

Situation at Delhi-Haryana border near Ambala remained tense on Thursday morning as Haryana Police sprayed water cannon, tear gas to stop the protesting farmers from reaching Delhi. The protesters, on the other hand, threw stones at barricades, lifted police barricades and dropped them into the river. The clash went on as security around Delhi was stepped up while farmers devised new plans to splinter into groups and reach the national capital.

The widespread criticism against using water cannons on protesting farmers on Wednesday night in freezing cold did not deter the police to resort to the same on Thursday morning. As farmers protesting the contentious farm bills marched towards Delhi, Police on Thursday morning again used water cannons, tear gas near Ambala to stop them from coming to Delhi.

 

Police use water cannon to disperse farmers who have gathered at Shambhu border, near Ambala (Haryana), to proceed to Delhi to stage a demonstration against the farm laws passed by the Centre pic.twitter.com/IaPPS9b3o4

— ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020

“The farmers are protesting against all three laws by the centre. Instead of taking this bill back, the farmers are being stopped from protesting peacefully. Water cannons are being used on them. Such kind of injustice on farmers is not fair. Peaceful protest is their constitutional right,” Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted on Thursday morning.

 

केंद्र सरकार के तीनों खेती बिल किसान विरोधी हैं। ये बिल वापिस लेने की बजाय किसानों को शांतिपूर्ण प्रदर्शन करने से रोका जा रहा है, उन पर वॉटर कैनन चलाई जा रही हैं। किसानों पर ये जुर्म बिलकुल ग़लत है। शांतिपूर्ण प्रदर्शन उनका संवैधानिक अधिकार है।

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 26, 2020

Security at Delhi-Haryana border was heightened on Thursday morning to stop the protesting farmers from coming to Delhi. Haryana completely sealed its border with Punjab as farmers from the adjoining state started assembling in big numbers as part of the Delhi Chalo march. The Delhi Police on Wednesday said that it had rejected requests received from various farmer organisations to protest in the national Capital against the Centre’s new farm laws on November 26 and 27.

Punjab farmers modify plan

Punjab’s farmer unions have changed their strategy of taking only the highways to the national capital. Members of the Kirti Kisan Union, BKU Kadian and Rajewal factions plan to assemble at Mastuana Sahib in Sangrur and head for Shambhu border.

Trucks filled with sand to stop farmers

At the Singhu border, the Delhi Police stationed trucks filled with sand to stop movement of tractors driven by farmers.This is the first time that the city police has stationed trucks filled with sand at border points. Police said the border has not been sealed but they are checking all vehicles entering the national capital.

The three laws -- the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 -- that the farmers are protesting took effect from September 27 after President Ram Nath Kovind’s assent.

(With Agency Inputs)