What started off a peaceful protest in Punjab and Haryana morphed into a display of violence, spreading all over the country
The “Delhi Chalo” protest farmers have been marching to the national capital since today morning to oppose the farm laws. The farmers are scheduled to reach Delhi through five highways.
The police force in BJP rules states had taken many precautions to maintain the peace in the states that the protesters were going to go through.
Farmers protest in Delhi LIVE updates: Police warns against unlawful protests amidst Covid-19https://t.co/H7Ucr1a0Py
— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) November 25, 2020
The metro service was suspended till 2pm in Delhi at the request of Delhi Police and the Delhi border was barricaded by the police as well.
The farmers sat on the Delhi-Sirsa highway near Agora town after being stopped by the police.
The protests that started off peacefully have turned violent. The Delhi Police prepared trucks filled with sand to stop the tractors at the Singhu border.
The peaceful protests took a violent turn in Ambala as the protesters moved forward, pushing the barricades away.
The police used water cannons and tear gas to stop farmers gathered at the Shambhu border near Ambala in Haryana.
Ambala: Farmers headed to Delhi to stage protest attempt to break through police barricades at Sadopur border, water cannons used by security personnel to disperse crowds.#Punjab pic.twitter.com/90lbcgKEDv
— ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020
Arvind Kejriwal tweeted saying, “Instead of withdrawing the farm bills (now laws), farmers are being prevented from holding peaceful demonstrations, water cannons are being used on them. Holding peaceful demonstrations is a constitutional right.”
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
Farmers entered Haryana after a lot of resistance from the police. The protestors had a massive faceoff, throwing pellets at the Haryana police, police. The protestors entered Haryana with fleets of trucks and a crowd of over 10,000 people.
In lieu of the protest march, security was deployed at the Rohtak-Jhajjar border.
Meanwhile in West Bengal, Left and Congress workers blocked the road at the Barasat Champadali intersection in Barasat. CPM workers took out a rally in Kanki, Uttar Dinajpur (West Bengal) in support of the protests all over the country.
Protests in Barasat, West Bengal / Source: Shashi Ghosh for The Indian Express
There were violent protests by the Congress in Kolkata in support of the all India general strike. Other states like Kerala, Delhi and Odisha also joined Haryana and Punjab farmers in their protest.
Kerala: Workers of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) form a human chain in Kochi as part of their nationwide strike today against Centre's new labour and farm laws. pic.twitter.com/g53db5Vmda
— ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020
After being stopped in Gurgaon on their way to Delhi, Yogendra Yadav, President of Swaraj India was taken into “preventive custody” along with “10 to 12 others” in Gurgaon.
Yogendra Yadav Source : Sakshi Dayal /Twitter
The farmers broke police barriers at Shambu in Haryana and crossed the Punjab border after facing much resistance from the police.
Captain Amarinder Singh, CM of Punjab tweeted saying, “For nearly 2 months farmers have been protesting peacefully in Punjab without any problem. Why is Haryana govt provoking them by resorting to force? Don’t the farmers have the right to pass peacefully through a public highway? @mlkhattar”
For nearly 2 months farmers have been protesting peacefully in Punjab without any problem. Why is Haryana govt provoking them by resorting to force? Don't the farmers have the right to pass peacefully through a public highway? @mlkhattar pic.twitter.com/NWyFwqOXEu
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) November 26, 2020
Along with Singh, Rahul Gandhi joined in on Twitter to support the farmer protests saying that they should stand up to the Modi Government.
नहीं हुआ है अभी सवेरा,
पूरब की लाली पहचान
चिड़ियों के जगने से पहले,
खाट छोड़ उठ गया किसान
काले क़ानूनों के बादल गरज रहे गड़-गड़,
अन्याय की बिजली चमकती चम-चम
मूसलाधार बरसता पानी,
ज़रा ना रुकता लेता दम!मोदी सरकार की क्रूरता के ख़िलाफ़ देश का किसान डटकर खड़ा है। pic.twitter.com/UMtYbKqSkM
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 26, 2020
Congress leader Manish Tiwari tweeted saying, “Our farmers right to peacefully protest has become punishable with water cannons & police deployments under @BJP4India’s rule!Misleading & cheating them since 6yrs,this govt is now resorting to force against them-this is BJP’s way of celebrating #ConstitutionDay!
#FarmersProtest”
Our farmers right to peacefully protest has become punishable with water cannons & police deployments under @BJP4India's rule!Misleading & cheating them since 6yrs,this govt is now resorting to force against them-this is BJP's way of celebrating #ConstitutionDay!#FarmersProtest pic.twitter.com/qTvaPUh6rN
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) November 26, 2020
The farmers are protesting against the farm laws that were passed earlier this year. These laws emphasise the primary legislative domain of the state on agriculture, agricultural markets and land. The farmers want the minimum support price (MSP) be made a legal provision.
“We are protesting because the central laws have legal value. The state’s Bills do not have the same legal validity. We will not sit till the time the anti-farmer laws are not revoked or a Bill related to MSP is not passed by the Centre. Agriculture is a state subject and the Centre could not create confusion by passing laws on subjects in state list,” says Jagmohan Singh, general secretary, Bharti Kisan Union (Dakuanda).
By Aatreyee Mohanta | November 26