After the day-long confrontation at Delhi-Haryana’s Singhu and Tikri borders, the Delhi Police on Friday finally allowed thousands of farmers to enter Delhi for a planned protest against the new Central farm laws.
Even after the Delhi Police announced that they could enter the city escorted by cops, tear gas shells were lobbed at regular intervals and water sprays continued to push the crowd back as many wanted to march towards the Ramlila ground in Delhi and not the designated Nirankari ground in North Delhi’s Burari. Some farmers were also reportedly injured in the action along with some policemen.
The farmers with tractors and trolleys carrying food and essential supplies for days had been trying to enter Delhi from multiple points, defying barricades and barbed wires put up by Delhi Poice to restrict their entry.
Violent clashes were seen at Singhu border where Delhi Police had a tough time controlling the protesting farmers. The police tried to negotiate with a delegation of farmers, making it clear that the farmers won’t be allowed to cross the border and enter Delhi. When the initial talks failed, the police resorted to mild lathicharge and use of water cannons and tear gas on the protsters.
Later, the police asked for nine stadia from the Delhi government to detain the farmers in case they tried to enter Delhi. However, the demand was rejected.
The police had to resort to use of water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse the protesting farmers at Tikri border near the Delhi-Bahadurgarh highway as the farmers clashed with the security forces in their attempt to head towards Delhi.
Meanwhile, another front was opened by the farmers at the Tikri border where many farmers were seen trying to break the security ring. Trucks and trolleys placed by Delhi Police on the road were seen being removed by the farmers by tying ropes to the trolleys they brought with them to clear the way.
The traffic crawled between Gurugram and Delhi as vehicles were checked at the border posts. Similar congestion was seen at Mukarba chowk and Peeragarhi towards Punjabi Bagh and on the carriageway from Gurugram towards Dhaula Kuan.
Later in the day, the police made necessary arrangements at Nirankari ground in Burari after giving permission to the protesting farmers to enter Delhi and stage protest at the designated ground.
However, till late Friday evening, farmers were indecisive about protesting at the Nirankari ground. A large number of protesters at Singhu border have said that they want to go either to the Ramlila ground or the Jantar Mantar to protest against the Central farm laws.
–IANS
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