This morning, farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab commenced their journey towards Delhi. Several videos of farmers atop tractors, bypassing or breaking barricades have emerged on social media. Section 144 has been implemented across Delhi in anticipation of the farmers” march scheduled for February 13. As a result, large gatherings have been banned in the city till March 12.
A team of Union ministers will hold talks with a delegation of farmer leaders today.
Over 200 farmer unions, representing approximately 20,000 farmers, are en route the national capital. Security measures have been intensified in Jind, Haryana, as authorities brace for the march. Increased police presence and security protocols are in place near the Singhu border in Delhi, leading to slower vehicular movement.
The farmers” demands include the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission”s recommendations, provision of pensions for farmers and laborers, farm debt waivers, withdrawal of police cases, and justice for victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
In Haryana, authorities are reinforcing barriers to impede the farmers” march. Cement barricades, iron nails, and heavy police deployment can be seen alongside route diversions and a seven-tier security perimeter.The Delhi police have escalated security measures and erected barricades at the capital”s borders to control their movement. The farmers have announced another protest todayto demand Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.
Borders between Haryana and Punjab have been fortified with massive cement barricades and barbed wires. Section 144 has also been enforced in numerous Haryana districts, with additional deployment of CRPF and other security forces.
According to reports from central intelligence agencies, authorities in Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana have been alerted regarding a potential mass movement of farmers, estimated to include over 5,000 tractors. Approximately 25,000 farmers from various districts of Punjab and Haryana are planning to converge on Delhi to assert their demands.
Reports also indicate that farmers have adapted their tractors to remove police barricades and obstacles on highways. Modified tractors equipped with hydraulic tools and fire-resistant hard-shell trailers have been prepared, with farmers conducting drills to navigate these vehicles effectively. The horsepower of these machines has been augmented to accommodate maximum protesting farmers.
Earlier today, the Haryana-Punjab border at Shambhu was closed for vehicular traffic, causing significant congestion for commuters heading towards Ambala.
These preparations evoke memories of the massive farmers” march in 2020, where protesters congregated at the Shambhu border, defied police barriers, and staged a year-long protest against the now-repealed farm laws.
Authorities have also taken measures such as excavating the Ghaggar river bed to prevent farmers from accessing highways with their tractors. Mobile internet services and bulk SMS have been suspended in seven Haryana districts ahead of the march.
