Sunday, 22 December 2024
Sunday, 22 December 2024
Haryana security personnel on Friday lobbed teargas shells to disperse protesting farmers reached near the multi-layered barricades erected at Shambhu on the Punjab and Haryana border.
Two farmers were injured in the violence. Visuals shared by news agency IANS showed chaotic scenes at a police barricade across National Highway 44. In the 73-second video white smoke from tear gas canisters enveloped protesting farmers.
Multiple rounds of teargas shells were fired at the protesting farmers, a 'jatha' (group) of 101 farmers who began their foot march towards Delhi from their Shambhu protest site, to force them to go back.
Farmer leader announces suspension of 'Delhi Chalo' march for the day, says some farmers suffered injuries due to teargas shells.
Some farmers suffered injuries and were taken to a hospital in ambulances, the protesters claimed.
Haryana Police authorities are asking the protesting farmers not to proceed further, citing prohibitory orders imposed under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
Some of the farmers were seen uprooting iron nails and barbed wire from the road as they covered their faces with wet jute bags to avoid the smoke.
The farmers claimed that Haryana security personnel fired teargas shells on a group of protesters who wanted to move ahead peacefully.
The Ambala district administration has already issued an order under Section 163 of the BNSS, restricting any unlawful assembly of five or more people in the district.
Multilayered barricades have been erected by Haryana security personnel and after walking barely a few metres as part of their foot march towards Delhi, the 'jatha' of the protesting farmers were stopped and told that they did not have the requisite permission to proceed.
Shortly before the farmers were to begin their march, the Haryana government on Friday suspended mobile internet services in 11 villages in Ambala district from December 6-9 as a precaution.
The farmers are marching to force the Centre into extending a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops.
In Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured agitating farmers that the government would purchase all farm produce at MSP. “This is our guarantee,” he said.
Criticising the BJP government, Congress MP Amar Singh remarked, “Farmers’ demands are fair. The BJP government at the Centre and in Haryana is being dictatorial.”
On Tuesday Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar took up the farmers' cause and questioned the government.
"Agriculture Minister, every moment is important... please tell me, what was promised to farmers (and) why was the promise not fulfilled? What should we do to fulfil the promise?" he asked at a public event.
Congress MP Rajeev Shukla also targeted the government, accusing it of having "turned back on its word". "The government promised legal guarantee of MSP but... this government doesn't do what it says... so farmers are agitated.." he said.
