Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers free toll plazas for 3 days

Hisar/Rohtak/Karnal/Ambala: Responding to a call for three “toll free” days, farmers protesting against the Centre’s new farm laws stopped toll collection across Haryana on Friday. The farmers riding their tractor-trolleys started gathering at toll plazas early in the morning and staged protests peacefully. BKU Haryana’s Ambala district vice-president Gulab Singh said, “We have freed the toll for three days and we will sit day and night on Devi Nagar toll plaza on GT Road till December 27 midnight. If a call is received to intensify the agitation, we would stage a permanent sit-in here.” In Hisar, Kisan Sabha district president Shamsher Singh Numberdar led farmers in a protest at Chaudhariwas plaza to ensure no toll collection from 6am. Kisan Sabha press secretary Sube Singh Boora said farmers will assemble at the mini secretariat in their tractor trolleys on December 27 and travel to Shahjahanpur border on Delhi-Jaipur highway on December 27. At least three to four tractor trolleys will go from every village in the district, he said. Farmers halted operation of toll plazas Makdoli and Rohad village in Rohtak district and two collection points on NH-44 at Bastara in Karnal. They also halted toll collection process at Peont plaza on the Karnal-Jind highway, at Khuian Malkana in Sirsa district and at Makrauli Kalan on Rohtak-Panipat highway. Meanwhile, at Makdoli village, locals and residents of neighbouring villages parked their tractors near the toll barrier on Panipat-Rohtak highway to stop fee collection. To keep up their spirits, sweets were distributed even as local folk song artists kept them entertained throughout the day. In Ambala, farmers freed the Devi Nagar toll plaza at NH-44 (Delhi-Jalandhar) at Shambhu border and another at Saini Majra village on Ambala-Hisar highway. They also freed a toll plaza on NH-152 (Ambala-Hisar) at Thana village in Pehowa area of Kurukshetra district, and another near Bhamboli village at NH-344 (Ambala-Roorkee) in Yamunanagar. Farm activist Mandeep, who was protesting at Bhamboli plaza, told TOI, “Our agitation will continue till the government repeals the three ‘black laws’. The Centre is suppressing the farmers as it has been over a month of protests in Delhi and their demands have not been accepted. Even if it takes six months for our demands to be accepted, we will not back down and continue to protest.” “If the government does not accept our demands, then we will free the toll plazas permanently by sitting on protest here,” he added. BOX Farmers do not need mediator: Charuni BKU (Charuni) president Gurunam Singh Charuni, who visited Karnal’s Bastara toll plaza, said the government was not ready to accept farmers’ demands despite several rounds of talks. Asked about Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala’s offer to become a mediator between Centre and farmers, he replied, “Farmers do not need any mediator for talks. If he (Dushyant) claims to be a big mediator, then where was he when the farmers were at the receiving end of the security forces while on their way to Delhi. Farmers have been sitting on the Delhi border for the last one month and around 30 to 35 attempt to murder cases have been registered against them. Wherever he (Dushyant) visits in the state, he will face opposition everywhere.” Compared to other states, Haryana government’s behaviour towards the farmers is the worst as as all tactics are being used to suppress this agitation, he alleged. BOX Fire out at Bastara toll plaza A fire broke out in the office of Bastara toll plaza in Karnal district on Friday morning. It took a fire tender around an hour to control the flames. The actual reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained but police suspect a short-circuit behind it.

The Times of India

2020-12-26

Chandigarh