Farmers Movement Archive

‘No man’s land’ created at Singhu border

A day after clashes broke out between protesting farmers and alleged locals at the Singhu border, a ‘no man’s land’ was created between the first barricade installed by the police and the first stage set up by the farmers. The locations are over 2 km apart. The entire area is heavily guarded by both the police and farmers, ensuring no ‘miscreants’ enter. Four layers of checking has been set up by the police. Any person trying to enter the area has to provide an ID. In most cases, people who weren’t allowed entry were given an alternate route from inside the fields instead. At the beginning of the protest site, farmers — including those who had been injured during clashes on Friday — holding sticks guarded the periphery and parked tractors as their own barricades tied with ropes. Guarding entry points “The police are doing their job and we are doing ours. We will ensure that no person with any wrong intention comes here. Our elders are guarding the entry points as they will get to know if someone is disguised as a farmer,” said 38-year-old Kulvir Singh of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC), from Tarn Taran, while nursing his fractured left hand. Recalling Friday’s clashes, he said that he was serving langar when ‘locals’ entered the site, damaged their tents and washing machines, before throwing stones. At least 15 protesters, including a senior citizen, suffered severe injuries. The farmers claimed that the ‘locals’ who had clashed with them on Friday came back again on Saturday but were driven away. ‘Ambulances blocked’ Injured farmers also alleged that security personnel weren’t letting in ambulances. “We had called for an ambulance around 9 a.m. and it hasn’t come till 12.30 p.m. This is inhumane,” said 23-year-old Prabhjit Singh, who suffered an injury above his right eye during the violence. “I am alone here and my parents back home got worried but they told me to continue the struggle till we succeed,” he added. Farmers of the KMSC said that they would stand guard 24 hours in shifts. Stage management committee of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha also said that they have stepped up vigil. “Over 800 volunteers on tractors and motorcycles are checking the site at night and we have ordered all the groups to send 30 volunteers every day,” said Amreek Singh, Bharat Kisan Union (Jalandhar) district pradhan, adding that they brought women residing at the KMSC side to their side and provided shelter and safety. Devinder Singh, 32, who has come from Chandigarh said that looking at a picture from Friday in which a police officer’s shoe was on a farmer’s face, he was reminded of George Floyd who was killed by a police officer in the U.S., leading to massive protests. A senior police officer said that they have been patient with the protesters for the last two months but January 26 violence “was the limit”. “As of now, there will be no movement in no-man’s land — not of protesters and their sympathisers and not of any locals. This will be a security hold area,” he said.

The Hindu

2021-01-31

NEW DELHI