Farmers stay put along Delhi borders, HM says Govt ready for talks any time
A day after inviting the agitating farmers for talks on December 3, the Centre on Saturday held out an olive branch to the farmers, who refused to budge from their stand, with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah saying that the Government is ready for dialogue any time and appealed to them to shift to the Burari ground in the national Capital to stage their protests against the farm laws.
“The Government is ready to deliberate on every problem and demand of the farmers… Some farmers’ unions and farmers have demanded that talks be held immediately instead of December 3. So, I assure everyone that the Central Government is ready to hold discussions with you as soon as you shift to the ground (in Burari)…the Government has made proper arrangement for you in Burari in Delhi, where you can stage your demonstrations,” he said.
Farmers after holding parleys with their leaders and their speeches at Tikri and Singhu borders, announced that they will stay put and not proceed towards the Nirankari Ground and will sit on dharna at borders.
“It is a plan to imprison us in one ground as earlier the Delhi Police has demanded nine grounds to be made as temporary prison in Delhi for the protesting farmers. So we have decided to protest at the border as most of the farmers are still coming from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to join the movement,” said Sukhbir Panwar, a farmer from Fatehabad district in Haryana.
Thousands of farmers marching from Punjab as part of their “Delhi Chalo” campaign against the farm laws, braved water cannons and tear gas shells in Haryana to reach Delhi on Friday. They were, however, not allowed into the national Capital. As the protests continued, the Centre, which looks after the national Capital’s law and order, relented and fixed a place for their agitation.
Hundreds of the protesters, however, refused to go to the outer Delhi protest venue and have remained camped at several places on the outskirts of the national Capital.
Thousands of farmers from Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan on Saturday stayed put at the Delhi-Haryana Singhu and Tikri border points on the third consecutive day. The farmers on Saturday also refused to move towards the Nirankari ground to hold demonstration. Following the rise in number of farmers at Tikri and Singhu border, the Delhi Police re-installed barricades to maintain law & order.
Around 400 to 500 farmers who had came to Nirankari ground on Friday were seen shouting slogans, singing songs and carrying flags in reds, greens and blues. Slogans such as ‘Narendra Modi Kisan Virodhi’ and “Inquilab Zindabad” could be heard while farmers were also seen dancing to drumbeats and the strains of “Hum Honge Kaamyab” at Nirankari ground.
Meanwhile, on Saturday evening a few groups of farmers from Uttar Pradesh gathered at the Ghazipur border to join the call against the Centre’s new farm laws.
The Traffic movement was also closed on both carriageways at both the borders. Till Saturday evening farmers from Uttar Pradesh also started to gather at Ghaziabad-Delhi border.
“Tikri border is closed for traffic movement. Available open borders to Haryana are — Jharoda, Dhansa, Daurala Jhatikara, Badusari, Kapashera, Rajokri NH 8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam vihar and Dundahera border,” said the Delhi Traffic Police on its Twitter.
The traffic police said the Singhu border was still closed from both the sides. “Please take an alternate route. Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba Chowk & GTK road. Traffic is very very heavy. Please avoid outer ring road from Signature Bridge to Rohini and vice versa, GTK road, NH 44 & Singhu border,” it tweeted.
Following the borders sealed by police due to protest, several trucks carrying basic amenities including vegetables were also seen lined up in the traffic queue which was up to 10 kilometers long at Tikri and Singhu borders.
On Friday, thousands of farmers, who had gathered at various entry points of the national Capital, were granted permission to hold their peaceful protest at Nirankari ground in North Delhi’s Burari area.
However, just before the permission was granted, the clashes broke out between Delhi Police and farmers at Singhu and Tikri borders resorting police to use tear gas shells, water cannon and mild lathi charge to disperse the farmers who were part of the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march.
In the 40 minutes clash at Singhu border, the Delhi Police has erected barb wires as barricades were broken and stones were pelted from upon them and there was retaliation from the force. Senior police officials said that no injury was reported on both sides. Police also used tear gas shells and water cannons at Tikri border to disperse farmers who were trying to pull away a truck placed as a barricade to prevent them from entering the city.
Sunday, 29 November 2020 | Shekhar Singh | New Delhi
