Farmers kept on shouting anti-government slogans and tried to push their way through the police barricades. (Express file photo by Jasbir Malhi) Angry farmers on Saturday broke barricades and clashed with the police during their protest to gherao the residence of Minister of State, Woman and Child Development, Kamlesh Dhanda in Kalayat.
Kamlesh, a BJP leader, represents Kalayat Assembly constituency. The incident took place Saturday morning when a large group of farmers, who were marching towards the residence of Dhanda, were stopped by the police. Their way was blocked by barricades that were broken by farmers.
Farmers kept on shouting anti-government slogans and tried to push their way through the police barricades. However, when they were not allowed to do so, they broke the barricades with their tractors and protested outside the residence of Kamlesh Dhanda.
Further increasing their strength, a large number of farmers also gathered at Shahjahanpur on Rajasthan-Haryana border. The farmers who were blocked by Haryana Police were adamant on marching towards Delhi border.
Eventually, another group of farmers reached Rohtak-Sonipat border and began marching towards the Delhi border. Similarly, a separate group broke police barricades in Bahadurgarh and marched towards Delhi border.
Dadri’s Independent MLA Sombir Sangwan, who had withdrawn support from BJP in Haryana in support of farmers’ ongoing agitation, also released a 15-page booklet on why the farmers were seeking repeal of the three farm legislations and how the three legislations were solely in favour of corporates and anti-farmer.
Meanwhile, Haryana’s Education Minister Kanwar Pal again defended the three contentious farm legislations. Talking about the farmers’ ongoing agitation, Kanwar Pal added, “It is an illogical agitation. There is no reason for agitation.
Farmers earlier had a right that they can go and sell their crop in the mandi. Now, another option has been given to them to sell their crop even outside the mandi. A farmer will only sell outside the mandi, if he gets more money for his crop. For instance, government’s price for wheat is Rs 1,975 per quintal and if farmer gets Rs 2,200-2,300 or even higher outside the mandi, he can sell it there. It is no more illegal as it used to be before these farm legislations. If you can’t sell it outside the mandi, then they can come to the mandi and sell it. It is only an option that has been given to the farmer. So, why this agitation? Second point is contract farming. It is not binding, it is also an option. Political parties are only misleading the naïve farmers. Those who are leading these farmer protests are those who used to say that if CAA is implemented, Muslims will lose their citizenship. Where are they now? But, they only got silent after riots broke out in Delhi. Farmers should analyse on their own if these legislations are in their favour or not.”