Farmers ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest turns unruly
A huge group of farmers with sticks and swords chucked out police barricades into a river and threw bricks early this morning, in the process of forcing their way to Haryana for a protest march in the capital city of Delhi against the three farm bills brought into effect by the Central Government.
The police this morning used tear gas shells and water cannons to displace the protesting group of farmers. The farmers temporarily decreased in numbers but later came back in much larger groups to clash with the police on the bridge outside Haryana.
The Police in Haryana is trying to block farmers from making their way starting from Punjab and marching toward Delhi on foot and tractors for their two-day ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest march against the new farm laws which they fear will diminish their revenues and will put more power in the hands of the retailers.
Farmers from Punjab were seen thrashing barricades into the river and throwing bricks on the bridge where the police and the protestors collided. The farmers refused to leave the bridge and raised fists in conquest with slogans and flags compelling the police to use tear gas shells. The farmers from the state of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Kerala and Punjab have been planning to protest against the farm laws for the past two months. The opposition and the farmers want the laws to be abrogated by the Union Government.
The Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar yesterday issued orders to seal the borders and there are prohibitions on large gatherings in the state.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation tweeted this morning saying Delhi Metro services have been restricted and trains to neighboring cities will be suspended today till 2PM to avoid overcrowding.
Activist Medha Petkar was stopped and arrested near Agra in Uttar Pradesh by the authorities while a convoy of farmers and anti-farm bill protestors were travelling from Madhya Pradesh to Delhi.
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