New Delhi: The Shambhu border between Haryana and Punjab has been fortified with heavy police barricading from both states ahead of farmers’ protest march to Delhi on Friday. Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Ambala with all schools and colleges closed.
On Thursday, Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said a ‘jatha’ of 101 farmers will set on a foot march to Delhi at 1 pm on Friday from the Shambhu border.
Meanwhile, in Ambala, the deputy commissioner imposed section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), prohibiting any procession on foot, vehicles, or other modes till further orders. The police have also sounded an alert and sent senior officers to the border to review the situation.
Paramilitary forces deployed
Central paramilitary forces have been deployed on the Haryana side of the border, accompanied by multi-layer barricading. On Wednesday, the Ambala district administration urged farmers to reconsider their march and take action only after securing permission from the Delhi Police.
Visuals from the Shambhu border showed heavy police barricading with farmers and cops on different sides. A farmer filming the video claimed the police are gearing up for some action and are working behind the scenes on that.
Delhi Police gears up for farmers protest
Ahead of the Punjab farmers’ planned march to the national capital on December 6, the Delhi Police said they are prepared to handle any situation at the Singhu border. However, police officials confirmed that no additional security personnel have been deployed at the Singhu border so far.
“We have planned a substantial deployment along the Delhi-Chandigarh highway at the Singhu border in preparation for the farmers’ march. We are monitoring the situation closely, and any decision regarding additional measures will be based on intelligence inputs or information about the farmers’ movements,” a senior police officer told PTI.
“Currently, there is no extra deployment, but we are ready to respond to any scenario,” the officer added. At present, the Singhu border has local police checkpoints in place to enforce GRAP-4 measures and maintain law and order, according to another officer.
Why are farmers protesting?
Farmers, under the banners of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, had earlier announced a foot march to the national capital, demanding a legal guarantee for the minimum support price (MSP) of crops, among other key issues.
Since February 13, they have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana after security forces halted their march to Delhi.
In addition to MSP, the farmers’ demands include a waiver of farm debts, pensions for farmers and agricultural labourers, a freeze on electricity tariff hikes, the withdrawal of police cases against farmers, and “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Their demands also encompass the reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation for the families of farmers who lost their lives during the 2020–21 agitation.
