Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers' protest: Delhi wheels past chakka jam

NEW DELHI: While the farmers’ unions had announced that they would preclude Delhi from their three-hour chakka jam, or road blockade, programme on Saturday, the city remained on high alert amid heavy security arrangements to prevent any attempt at lawlessness of the sort that marked the January 26 tractor rally. The day passed without incident in the capital. “Traffic wasn’t disrupted and life went on as usual,” said Chinmoy Biswal, the public relations officer. A few preventive detentions were made, including of some people near Shahidi Park in central Delhi, who were preparing to demonstrate in support of the farmers’ call for chakka jam. Around 50,000 security personnel from Delhi Police, reserve police forces and paramilitary forces and barricades and cranes were deployed at sensitive places like Akshardham Mandir, ITO, AIIMS and Mukarba Chowk and at the various border crossing points. The Gurgaon border on the Mahipalpur had heavy barricading, resulting in a traffic jam that had a tailback stretching half a kilometre. Several companies of Indo-Tibetan Border Police, CRPF and Rapid Action Force (RAF) were also stationed for maintaining law and order. Monitoring was especially strict in markets, places of religious and historic significance, such as Red Fort and India Gate, and the roads leading to Parliament. A contingent of more than 70 CRPF personnel was deployed at ITO intersection, where the preventive measures included 5-6 feet high concrete slabs on the roads. There was conspicuous police presence at the entry gates of key Delhi Metro stations such has Rajiv Chowk. Several stations in central Delhi remained closed as a precautionary measure from around 11am, including Mandi House, ITO, Delhi Gate, Vishwavidyalaya, Lal Quila, Jama Masjid, Janpath, Central secretariat, Khan Market and Nehru Place, leaving many commuters stranded. Rajendra Pandher, a commuter trying to reach central Delhi complained about the frequency with which metro stations were being closed when such a step should be considered the last resort. Ashok Randhawa of the Sarojini Nagar Market Association disclosed that all the shops in the market remained open during the chakka jam period, but the footfall was low. “The entire market is wearing a desolate look,” he said, pointing to the additional police deployment at the entry points. In the business hub of Connaught Place, Atul Bhargava of the New Delhi Traders’ Association reported no untoward incident, though business was affected by people staying away. “Compared with last Saturday, we recorded very little business today,” Bhargava said on Saturday. “The political issue should now be resolved.” There was a preponderance of heavy barricading on the roads leading to Race Course Road and in the surrounding localities. Additional barricades were spotted near the Prime Minister’s Residence, Chanakya Bhavan, Lodhi Road crossing and Max Mueller Marg. Near the Airports Authority of India near Jorbagh, in readiness to step in if needed were two bulldozers, trucks and some buses. CRPF personnel and police forces armed with tear gas were also deployed at the AIIMS crossing. Extra barricades were also kept in readiness in other parts of the city. However, most parts of the capital had no traffic problems under the hawk-eyed vigilance of the cops. A small demonstration organised at Shahidi Park near ITO by some left-wing organisations was nipped in the bud by Delhi Police whisking away the 50 or so people reported present at the site.

The Times of India

2021-02-07

Delhi