Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab farmers start Farmers protest again in Delhi, demanding a law guaranteeing a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce, section 144 in Haryana.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal claimed more than 200 farmers’ unions from across the country will participate in the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march.
Farmers are marching off to Delhi on February 13 mostly from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab due to which the Haryana government has sealed the borders joining Punjab with barbed wires and concrete blocks to stop the march of agitated farmers.
In 2020, a large number of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, held a year-long protest on Delhi’s border points — Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur — against the three now-repealed farm laws. These laws were — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.
- The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, which allows farmers to sell their produce outside of government-regulated wholesale markets, known as mandis.
- The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, which permits contract farming and direct agreements between farmers and buyers.
- The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, which deregulates the production, storage, and distribution of several food items, including cereals, pulses, potatoes, onions, and edible oils, by removing them from the list of essential commodities.
The protests gained international attention due to their scale, duration, and the involvement of a diverse range of stakeholders, including farmers’ unions, political parties, and civil society groups. Despite several rounds of negotiations between the government and farmers’ representatives, no resolution has been reached, and the protests continue to evolve, with various developments and events occurring over time.
Farmers protest starts again, section 144 in Haryana and Delhi Government take strict actions
As Haryana border joins with New Delhi, Punjab, it also becomes the meeting point for farmers due to which the onus is on the Haryana government to stop this march off to Delhi.
Section 144 imposed in Delhi
Massive security blanket in Delhi
Traffic advisory issued ahead of stir tomorrow@manjeet_sehgal and @satenderchauhan with latest updates #Delhi #FarmersProtest (@nabilajamal_) pic.twitter.com/lbZYo1eF3Y— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) February 12, 2024
The Haryana government also imposed Section 144 of the CRPC, which prohibits the assembly of five or more people, in 15 districts, banning any kind of protest or March in the state. Moreover, The Haryana government has suspended mobile internet services and bulk SMS in seven districts — Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad, and Sirsa — from February 11 to 13.
A senior Ambala police official said the Rajiv Gandhi Sports Stadium in Sector 10 of Ambala has been declared a temporary detention centre.
Security has been increased near the Tikri border in Delhi. To prevent any untoward incident, big containers, cemented and iron barricades and water cannons were placed by police officials at the Singhu border of Delhi.
The Centre has invited them for a meeting to discuss the demands of farmers on Monday, 12 February. Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda, and Nityanand Rai — will arrive in Chandigarh on February 12 to hold talks with a deputation of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.
Leaders of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Lakhowal said they will not join the ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest on February 13 but will oppose if the farmers face manhandling during the march. They will launch the ‘Gramin Bharat Bandh’ protest slated to be held on February 16.
Delhi Police has also imposed Section 144, prohibiting the gathering of more than two people in public places at all borders between the national capital and Uttar Pradesh and nearby areas in the jurisdictional area of the northeast district. Besides, the Delhi Police has also prohibited entry of tractors, trolleys, buses, trucks, commercial vehicles, personal vehicles, or horses etc, carrying protesters in the city from Uttar Pradesh.
Security has been increased near the Tikri border in Delhi. To prevent any untoward incident, big containers, cemented and iron barricades and water cannons were placed by police officials at the Singhu border of Delhi.