Farmers Movement Archive

Entry barred for journalists too at Singhu main protest site

Entry to the main protest site at the Singhu border remained closed on Tuesday with the Delhi police barring entry to journalists as well. While one could cross the first two barricades, the first of which is nearly two kilometres away from the protest site, the police barred entry of all, a few metres away from the first stage at the Singhu border. The first barricade from where entry was disallowed was close to the place where clashes erupted on Friday between farmers and a group of people claiming to be locals. The group had demanded that the inter-State highway be cleared by the farmers. Access denied On Tuesday, despite two rounds of checking at the two initial barricades, the police barred entry to the main protest site for the media as well. Hardly any direct access to the main protest site and stage have been left open. One has to walk on foot, through the adjacent fields and enter the protest using non-motorable paths. Most smaller lanes leading to the main stage also remained closed and trenches have been dug in some of the inner lanes as well, with cement barricades in place. Police personnel, at those points, continued to maintain that entry or exit was strictly denied for media personnel as well. Kiosks removed Over the past two months, since the agitation began, small shops and kiosks selling a variety of things, including jackets, chargers and among other utilities had come up. However, that stretch has now been cleared with layers of barricades between the first stage and the main stage at the Singhu border. Between the first stage and the main stage, which are a few metres apart and what was a short walk earlier, concrete barricades, containers and walls have now been erected between the barricade. A few iron rods have also cropped up near the containers. With the normal route from one stage to another now being completely cut-off, volunteers waiting near the erstwhile access path, were seen redirecting people through an inner lane, to be able to reach the first stage from the main stage. Several people, reaching Delhi from Punjab and Haryana, were seen walking for a couple of kilometres, with luggages, before they could access some form of public transportation to the national capital.

The Hindu

2021-02-03

NEW DELHI