Farmers Movement Archive

New barricades placed at Singhu border to restrict farmers

NEW DELHI: Two days after the Republic Day mob rampage, the protesting farmers have been cornered at Singhu border. On Thursday, police put up new barricades and stopped the movement of private vehicles some distance from the border. Police deployment was also beefed up. The border was heavily barricaded two months ago when farmer protesters reached Delhi, but police had left a small passage free for people’s movement. That opening was barricaded on Thursday. Besides, vehicles from Delhi were earlier allowed to go up to the toll plaza. The road was blocked a few kilometres from the protest site to bar private cars, and only government vehicles were allowed to pass. People, however, were permitted to walk towards the toll plaza. Things were subdued at Singhu, and unlike on other days, the various langars had emptied out by 3pm. The tent in front of the protest dais was half empty in the afternoon. Some protesters there conceded that many local residents who had been extending their support to the farmers hadn’t turned up on Thursday. Gurdeet Singh of Devinagar village in Patiala added that a large number of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh who had come only for the tractor parade had returned. “However, the farmers who have been camping at Singhu border for nearly two months continue to remain there,” he added. Another farmer explained that Delhiites could not cross the new barricades, leading to the thinning of the crowd at Singhu. “However, this will have no impact on our movement because scores of farmers from Punjab and Haryana are going to join us soon.” Gurpreet Singh of Gurdaspur also insisted, “The January 26 incident has not dampened the spirit of the farmers. We will leave the border only when our demands on the repeal of the three laws are met.”

The Times of India

2021-01-29

Delhi