Protesters roll in heavy machinery to smash barriers & bulldoze into city

Protesters roll in heavy machinery to smash barriers & bulldoze into city

BATHINDA/AMBALA: Armed with thousands of tractor-trailers and heavy machinery like bulldozers rigged with steel plates, hydraulic cranes, and diggers, more than 20,000 protesting farmers encamped at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana for the past eight days are set to resume their march towards New Delhi starting at 11am Wednesday.

This sets the farmers on a headlong trajectory to another round of confrontation with Haryana police and central security forces, positioned behind multi-layered barricades of concrete blocks, spikes and barbed wires to prevent them from crossing over.

Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), the two farm unions leading the “Delhi Chalo” protest, decided to carry on with the march after rejecting central govt’s offer to buy five crops on minimum support price (MSP) for a duration of five years during fourth round of talks on Feb 18 .On Tuesday, KMM leader Sarvan Singh Pandher called upon Centre to convene a daylong Parliament session to enact a law on MSP for crops. “All political parties should support the law or make their stand clear,” he said.

Urging PM Narendra Modi’s intervention to break the deadlock, he said: “He should now show his strong willpower and announce acceptance of our demands, including legal guarantee of minimum support price on all 23 crops as per the C2+50% formula and a complete debt waiver.”

On Feb 13, the march was halted by Haryana and central authorities.

Tear gas shells, rubber bullets, and water cannons kept the protesters from breaching the barrier.

Gaining from that experience, farmers have deployed Poclain machines shielded with iron sheets at Shambhu to safeguard against tear gas shells. The border at Shambhu on the NH-44 was sealed on the Haryana side of Ghaggar river. Measures are being taken to create passages through Ghaggar, utilising sandbags to impede the flow of the seasonal rivulet. Similar arrangements have been made at Khanauri.

In response to the impending march, Haryana police have deployed 114 companies, including 64 from paramilitary forces, to manage law and order as well as traffic flow on main highways.

With drones and CCTV cameras monitoring activities, authorities have also updated locals on diversions and alternative routes.

For more news like this visit TOI. Get all the Latest News, City News, India News, Business News, and Sports News. For Entertainment News, TV News, and Lifestyle Tips visit Etimes