Farmers' Chakka jam today
Farmers protesting against the Centre's new farm laws have announced a countrywide 'chakka jam' today, for which the Delhi Police have deployed additional measures, including tightening security and intensifying vigil at the city's border points, to deal with any situation emerging out of the situation. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of the farmer unions protesting the three farm laws, on Friday said there would be no 'chakka jam' in Delhi on Saturday, even as it asserted that peasants in other parts of the country will block national and state highways for three hours but in a peaceful way.
However, police said they have taken additional measures to deal with any situation emerging out of the 'chakka jam'.
Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava also held a meeting with senior officers of the force and reviewed the security arrangements on Friday. The police will also be monitoring content on the social media to keep a watch on those spreading rumours against the force, officials said.
After the violence on January 26 that had leftover 500 security personnel injured and one protestor dead, Shrivastava had accused the protesting farmer union leaders of betrayal and breaching the agreement as thousands of peasants deviated from their pre-decided routes for the tractor parade. Tens of thousands of farmers atop tractors had broken barriers, clashed with police and entered the city from various points to lay siege to the Red Fort on Republic Day.
"We are monitoring content on social media to make sure rumours are not spread against the police. The protestors are camping at the borders of Delhi. We are in touch with the police force of other states also," a police official said.
A senior police officer said to prevent any kind of law and order situation and disruption of normal life during the 'chakka jam', adequate forces are being deployed across the outer-north district of Delhi Police.
"We have a very high-security arrangement at Singhu border at present but for Saturday, we are strengthening it at the border."
"We are deploying forces at all important points in the entire outer-north district of Delhi Police as a preventative measure to ensure that traffic and normal life is not affected, and also to ensure that there is no law and order situation or unauthorized 'chakka jam' being done by violating norms," he said.
Another senior police officer from east district of Delhi Police said as a precautionary measure, iron nails studded on the roads have also been repositioned behind the barricades at the Ghazipur border, another protest site.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Deepak Yadav said, "According to the protesting farmers, they will not enter the national capital, but still as a precautionary measure, we have made adequate security arrangements to maintain law and order. Adequate police presence will be in place at all important points and junctions across the district.
"There will be an additional deployment of pickets at all the border points. All vehicles will be checked thoroughly at the entry and exit points of pickets and borders. Additional buses have already been taken and extra barricades are being put up at the picket points across the city," he said.
Haryana Police steps up security ahead of 'chakka jam'
Meanwhile, the Haryana police have stepped up security measures in view of the protesting farmer unions' call for a countrywide 'chakka jam' on Saturday. Senior police officers have been asked to personally supervise security and traffic arrangements at vital junctions and roads while district police chiefs have been directed to ensure deployment of adequate personnel, according to an official communication issued to them.
"In view of the January 26 incidents in Delhi, some anti-social elements and aggressive youth creating law and order problems, cannot be ruled out,” as per the communication dated February 4.
“It is assessed that as part of the protest programme on February 6, protesting farmers/unions may attempt road blockades of important national highways, state highways and interior roads,” it said, asking the police to ensure necessary security arrangements are in place.
The police commissioners and district police chiefs have also been asked to make all-out efforts to liaise with local leaders of farmer organisations to ensure peaceful conduct of their proposed programme, it said.
Meanwhile, Haryana Home and Health Minister Anil Vij has appealed to the peasant leaders to call off the chakka jam.
Replying to a question on the issue in Gurugram on Thursday, Vij said, "Biggest problems in the world and even international issues are solved through dialogue”.
Vij said the government is always ready for talks and the protesting farmers must come forward.
“The government is always ready for talks and the prime minister has said the doors for talks are open. So, they should come forward,” he said.
He also said that in a democracy everyone has the right to protest and hold dharnas, “but while exercising that right, one should also keep in mind that they should not violate the rights of others and common people should not be inconvenienced”.
"So, it is my appeal to farmers leaders that they should call off their chakka jam programme,” said Vij.
Thousands of farmers have been protesting since late November at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, demanding a rollback of the three agri laws.
The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporations.
However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and help introduce new technologies in agriculture.
