Farmers Movement Archive

Farm law protests find new rallying point outside Delhi, on Jaipur highway

REWARI: A contingent of around 100 farmers arrived from Gujarat. Another 200 or so came from Rajasthan to join others from Haryana already there. Jaisinghpur Khera on the Delhi-Jaipur highway emerged on Monday as the first major protest point away from Delhi’s borders in the ongoing agitation against the Centre’s three farm laws, growing in size and decibel as protesters began converging from other states. Barricades have been put up across the Jaipur-Delhi carriageway of NH48 here, blocking any movement in the direction of Gurugram and Delhi and separating lines of protesters and police personnel. Diversions have hit traffic on the stretch, especially large trucks that have been queuing up since Sunday behind the protesters like an unbroken chain, many carrying perishables. Like their counterparts at the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders, the protesters at Jaisinghpur Khera have vowed not to call off the agitation till the laws are repealed. They decided to start a protest there since they were not allowed to proceed to Delhi. Dayabhai Jadhav, a farmer leader from Rajkot, said they had been detained along the way. “On December 10, we had announced a protest against the new farm laws, after which police detained around 40 of us. We were released on the condition that we will not protest in Gujarat. Once out of detention, we had to leave behind our tractors and about 100 of us boarded a bus till Udaipur. Using various means of transport, we finally reached this place on Monday afternoon. The so-called Gujarat model has not done any good for farmers. We will be soon joined by around 500 farmers who are on their way here from various districts of Gujarat,” Jadhav said. Protests at Jaisinghpur Khera are being led by Swaraj India founder Yogendra Yadav, who had himself been detained in Gurugram while trying to march to Delhi a few days ago. Shagan Lal Chaudhary, a farmer from Rajasthan, said more farmers from Churu, Sikar, Jhunjhunu and Sri Ganagangar would arrive at the protest site soon. “Hundreds of farmers will join us here and we will not go back till our demands are met. December is an important month for farming, and yet, we have decided to join this nationwide protest because our future is at stake. We have the full support of our family members. They have told us tum morcha sambhalo, hum khet sambhalte hain (we will do the farming, you go join the protest).” Rampal Jat, a Kisan Mahapanchayat leader from Rajasthan, said they were receiving a lot of support from locals. “We are determined to reach Delhi but in a peaceful manner. We will not go back till our demands are met. We have adequate provisions to see us through this winter and the local residents are helping us,” he said. Yadav, who has been camping at Jaisinghpur Khera since Sunday, told TOI, “Several (farmers) are on their way but are finding it difficult to reach since cops have blocked all access routes.” Jaipur-Delhi traffic has, meanwhile, been diverted through Behror, Shahjahanpur and Neemrana. Truck drivers like Sanjay Yadav have been stuck in Behror since Sunday afternoon when the highway was closed. “I am coming from Palanpur (Gujarat) and have to deliver milk to a plant in Faridabad. I’m stuck here now and I don’t have enough money. The cops are asking me to take a diversion but I am afraid to take an unknown route. I am waiting for further instructions from the truck’s owner,” he said. Ajay Pal has a truck full of medicines, which he has to deliver to Faridabad. “I was going to Faridabad from Chittorgarh. The cops sometimes ask us to drive on and sometimes to stop and wait. There is no proper communication and I will wait for the highway to open,” he said. Apart from police personnel from Haryana and Rajasthan, the Rapid Action Force too has been deployed here along with riot control vehicles. “We have strict instructions from the government not to let the farmers move forward from here. This highway will remain blocked till the protestors are here,” said a senior police official at the site. With inputs from Shahnawaz Alam

The Times of India

2020-12-15

Faridabad