Farmers Movement Archive

Delhi: Farmers create own security ring

NEW DELHI: With the number of protesters at Singhu border swelling on Sunday, many staying in tents near the highway said they had their task cut out. A barricade had been set up near the highway mall to keep a lookout for miscreants as the farmers claimed that this end was devoid of police presence. On guard for 24 hours, the volunteers even check identity cards of people they find suspicious. On Sunday, large trucks from Haryana, Delhi and Punjab carrying milk, water bottles, food and other items started to arrive at the protest site despite police barricading making it difficult for vehicles to reach the place. There were also a large number of tractors and cars from Haryana that had come “in support and solidarity with the farmers.” Deepak, a protester, said, “More people from Haryana have started to come here since the attack on us on Friday. They are riled up by the attempts to dismantle our genuine and peaceful protest.” However, the rising numbers have also raised security concerns, especially since the attack on farmers by outsiders claiming to be locals. Cars coming from Delhi have to travel through kuccha roads of Singhu village to reach the protest site, where they are checked by farmers as part of the security drill. One such lane leads to Kessel Grand Mall where several kabaddi players have been residing for over two months. Mangi Bagga, a national-level kabaddi player, said they had food there that could feed thousands for two months. “Around 100 of us secure the mall in shifts,” he added. Since there is no internet, the volunteers use walkie-talkies to communicate with each other. “We took matters in our own hands because we have lost trust in politicians. The policemen are just doing their job, so we cannot be angry at them. There are many factories nearby, so we have to be cautious,” said Bagga. A group of young protesters from Haryana and Punjab were seen standing guard at barricades near the factories. Vipin Deep Singh from Jalandhar, one of the guards, said, “We work in 8-hour shifts. Since the attack on us, the number of volunteers has increased tenfold even at langar sites. We don’t allow entry to people who look suspicious and ask them to show their identity cards. We know the factory workers very well as we have been seeing them for over two months and they eat at our langars too.” His fellow security volunteer, Rohit from Sonipat, said, “We also stop people who have an odd body language and the manner in which they look in our direction.”

The Times of India

2021-02-01

Delhi