Punjab Farmers Leave for Delhi Ahead of Protest March: Section 144 Imposed, tear gas used by forces

“Prohibit entering of Tractors, Trolleys, Buses, Trucks, commercial vehicles, personal vehicles, on horses etc, carrying protestors in Delhi from Uttar Pradesh. Order that the North East District Police shall make all efforts to prevent protestors from entering Delhi,” the order stated

New Delhi Authorities are fortifying the national capital by barricading the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh and Delhi-Haryana borders. More than 5,000 security personnel have been deployed ahead of another agitation by farmers. Several farmer associations, mostly from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, have called for a protest on February 13.

Meanwhile the security forces have also used tear gasses to hold back the public from coming to the agitation site.

Farmers heading towards Delhi for their demands

“Information has been received that some farmer organisations have given a call to their supporters to gather/march to Delhi on February 13 for their demands of the law on MSP and others. They are likely to sit at the border of Delhi till their demands are met. In order to avoid any untoward incident and to maintain Law & Order, a precautionary Order of section 144 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, is required to be issued to save the lives and property in the area,” Delhi Police said in a statement.

Ahead of their planned protest on Monday, the farmers have left Bathinda for Delhi to participate in the ‘Delhi-Chalo’ march.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police on Sunday imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code at the Uttar Pradesh borders to avoid any untoward incident and maintain law and order.

Police making all efforts to prevent protestors from entering Delhi

“Prohibit entering of Tractors, Trolleys, Buses, Trucks, commercial vehicles, personal vehicles, on horses etc, carrying protestors in Delhi from Uttar Pradesh. Order that the North East District Police shall make all efforts to prevent protestors from entering Delhi,” the order stated.

Farmers are demanding a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP), one of the conditions they had set when they agreed to withdraw their agitation against the now-repealed farm laws in 2021.

Apart from that, they are also seeking implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, withdrawal of police cases and “justice” for victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Security Up At Delhi-Up Borders

Delhi Police have barricaded the Ghazipur, as per a report by news agency ANI. Barricades have also been set up at the Chilla border with the Noida Police on one side and the Delhi Police on the other to prevent protesters from entering the national capital.

On Thursday, thousands of farmers from around 100 villages of Noida and Greater Noida took to the streets, bringing traffic to a standstill in several parts of Delhi-NCR as they made an unsuccessful bid to march towards the Parliament.

Security arrangements in Haryana

The Haryana government has ordered the suspension of mobile internet services and bulk SMS in seven districts ahead of farmers’ proposed ‘Delhi Chalo’ march.

According to an official order, mobile internet services will remain suspended in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts from 6 am on February 11 to 11:59 pm on February 13.

The decision to suspend mobile internet services, bulk SMS and all dongle services was taken as there was an apprehension of disturbance of peace because of the proposed march.