Farmers Movement Archive

Top Haryana officials visit Tikri, say border shut by Delhi cops

Tribune News ServiceJhajjar, October 26Top state officials, including Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Rajeev Arora and DGP PK Agrawal, Bahadurgarh industrialists and protesting farmers together visited Tikri on Tuesday and found that the border had been sealed by the Delhi Police.The state authorities will now talk to the Delhi Police for opening one side of the Delhi-Rohtak highway that’s blocked for the past 11 months.“The visit happened after farmers and industrialists at a meeting held in Bahadurgarh town here blamed the Delhi Police for sealing the border and urged the officials to verify the fact by going to Tikri. Thereafter, the officials went there and found multi-layered barricading done by the Delhi Police. Later, they returned to the meeting venue and resumed the dialogue with the farmers,” said sources.After the meeting, Arora said: “We will have to talk to the Delhi Police to open one lane from both the sides. There is a possibility of opening one lane if the blockade from the Delhi side is removed. Before talking to the Delhi Police, we wanted to ensure that the road is open from our side hence today’s meeting was convened to discuss it with the farmers.”Sources said six delegates each of farmers and industrialists attended the meeting that lasted for around four hours. “The farmers also raised the issues of potable water, power supply and poor sanitary conditions.”“After the Tikri visit, the officials admitted that the Delhi Police have sealed of the border hence now it is the responsibility of the state to mount pressure on them to remove the barricades as industries are paying a hefty price,” said Narendra Chhikara, senior vice-president, Bahadurgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

The Tribune

2021-10-27