Farmers Movement Archive

Mahapanchayat held, locals demand reopening of national highway

ALWAR/JAIPUR: Around 400 locals of nearly 84 villages held a mahapanchayat on the Haryana side of Shahjahanpur border and demanded removal of protesting farmers from Delhi-Jaipur national highway. They have decided to submit a representation to Rewari collector and superintendent of police (SP) on Monday demanding reopening of the national highway. According to informed sources, they even said if the farmers are not removed from the national highway by Monday, they will be compelled to do it forcibly. As the mahapanchayat of the locals started at Shahjahanpur border on Sunday, Rajasthan police had pushed back the farmers, who were protesting against the centre’s agricultural laws, by 100 metres in order to avoid any kind of confrontation. The state police positioned themselves in between to prevent clashes between two groups, said sources. “I want to congratulate you (the protesters at Shahjahanpur border). The central government and its goons tried its best to weaken our movement in the past 4-5. But the ongoing movement at Shahjahanpur didn’t fall apart or disintegrate,” said president of Swaraj India Yogendra Yadav. “In the face of this movement, the government neither has any strength nor has morality, not even any argument. Camera and videos are their only weapons. They send their goons to pelt stones at our friends and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel (deployed at protest sites) take no action against them. If officials of Delhi police deployed there (Singhu border) have the slightest of shame, they should take off their uniform and go home. They were just busy watching the show,” he added, referring to the clashes at Singhu border.

The Times of India

2021-02-01

Jaipur