Farmers Movement Archive

Delhi not to be impacted by ‘chakka jam’, say farmer leaders

The three-hour ’chakka jam’ on Saturday afternoon to protest against the three farm laws will not impact Delhi and the national capital region (NCR), Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers unions which is spearheading the agitation, said on Friday. Farm leader Rakesh Tikait also said on Friday that there will be no blockade in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.“Only national and state highways across the country will be jammed from 12 noon to 3 pm. Emergency and essential services like ambulance, school bus, etc. will not be stopped... All roads for entering into Delhi will remain open except where farmers’ protest sites are already located,” said a statement issued by Darshan Pal, a leader of SKM.The chakka jam will be a part of a series of events scheduled by the farmers’ groups to press their demand for the repeal of the three contentious laws passed by the Parliament in September to deregulate agricultural trade. On January 7, the farmers protesting at Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and others took out a tractor march on the eastern and western peripheral expressways which form a ring around the national capital.On January 26, the protesters took out a tractor parade and barged into the city deviating from the routes approved by the police by breaking barriers and clashed with the cops at several points. Hundreds of farmers also reached Red Fort and vandalised the monument.Even though the Samyukt Kisan Morcha has assured that the event will remain peaceful, police have made extensive arrangements to meet any eventuality.Tikait said farmers in UP and Uttarakhand will only submit memorandums to the administration. He said they will be on “standby” in case they are needed to rush to Delhi’s borders at a short notice. “They (farmers in UP and Uttarakhand) can be called to Delhi (borders) anytime and they need to be on standby,” Tikait told a news channel.Tikait’s associate, Arjun Balyan Tikait, said the decision to keep UP and Uttarakhand was also taken in view of the sugarcane cultivation season.The statement issued by the SKM did not mention Tikait’s claim. While Darshan Pal remained unavailable for queries, one of his team members said that there was no conflict.“The farmers in some parts will not be involved in chakka jam because they are busy harvesting sugarcane. In some states, on the other hand, the chakka jam will be much more intense as farmers there will block internal roads as well,” said SKM media coordinator, Harinder, who goes by a single name.The chakka jam will take place between 12noon and 3pm and it will be “completely peaceful and non-violent”, SKM said.“Protesters are asked to not to indulge in any confrontation with the government officials or ordinary citizens,” said SKM leader Darshan Pal.The event will conclude with farmers honking from their vehicles continuously and simultaneously for one minute when the clock strikes 3pm.PREPARATIONS ON AT DELHI’S BORDERSWhile no specific activity has been planned for Delhi the three border points where farmers are protesting, the police as well as farmers were busy preparing for the event on Friday.At the Singhu Border, the police on Friday added yet another layer of barbed barricading, several hundred metres away from the main stage. At Tikri border too, the police set up an extra layer of barriers using concrete barricades and iron nails. They also installed layers of nets in anticipation of stone pelting by the protesters.Delhi Police spokesperson Chinmoy Biswal said in the backdrop of the Republic Day violence adequate security arrangements have been made at all border points. The police are also monitoring social media to curb rumours and coordinating with their counterparts in neighbouring states, Biswal said.Farm leaders urged their supporters in Delhi not to disrupt normal life in the city had a word of advice for office-goers in the NCR. “While we won’t be causing any trouble to commuters, and our chakka jam in NCR towns will be limited to the highways on the city periphery, we urge the public to reach their workplaces before noon and leave after the event ends at 3pm,” said Gurmeet Singh Bhattiwal, vice president of Bharatiya Kisan Union Ekta (Dakonda).“To avoid hassle, they should take internal routes because our focus will be on highways only,” Bhattiwal added.The protesters have also chosen some volunteers to explain the drawbacks of the three farm laws to those who will be stuck on the highways. “If someone gets stuck on the road, our farmers will offer them snacks and lunch and explain to them the problems with the farm laws,” said Mukesh Chander, senior vice-president of Doaba Kisan Sangharsh Committee.Farmer volunteers have also been instructed to ensure no disturbance to the shared and private vehicles plying along the protest routes. “They threw open their personal bathrooms to us and provided us water at a time when we needed it the most in the early days of our protest. The locals have sacrificed a lot for us and we will do all we can to reduce their troubles,” said Amandeep Singh, a farmer from Amritsar who is a volunteer at Singhu Border.Farmers appealed to their families and friends in the villages to ensure the success of ‘chakka jam’.“Our brothers and sisters in Punjab, Haryana and other states will be blocking roads leading to Delhi with tractors. We have requested for maximum participation,” said Sahil Kamboj from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha at Tikri Border.Rajinder Pal, from Baghpat, who joined the protest at Ghazipur after Republic Day, said it was time for the government to accept the demands of farmers. “We are only here to place one demand which is the withdrawal of the farm laws. We will make sure that none of our men get into any confrontation that may lead to violence during chakka jam. It will be a peaceful demonstration,” Pal said.

Hindustan Times

06-02-2021

India