New Delhi: At 10:00 AM on Tuesday, the Delhi Chalo farmer’s protest commenced, as thousands of farmers from Punjab and Haryana embarked on their journey to Delhi, advocating for a guaranteed minimum support price (MSP) for their crops. The police, determined to impede their entry into the national capital, resorted to deploying various measures, including firing tear gas to disperse the farmers.
The Delhi and Haryana police have undertaken comprehensive preparations to obstruct the entry of protesting farmers into the national capital. Multiple checkpoints have been set up, and the borders are fortified with robust barricades and stone walls.
Tensions escalated as farmers clashed with the police at various locations, forcefully removing cement barricades in their determined advance towards Delhi. The scenes depict the police resorting to the use of force, with farmers being physically pushed into police vans and subsequently detained.
#WATCH | Haryana Police detain protestors at Shambu border as chaos breaks out during farmers' movement towards Delhi to press for their various demands pic.twitter.com/EgtaOABJKx
— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2024
A substantial deployment of police forces has been orchestrated by the administration to manage the farmers and impede the movement of their trucks, tractors, and other vehicles. Various deterrents, including iron nails, barricades, and barbed wires, have been employed. In areas where farmers assemble in significant numbers, a visible trend emerges of them actively removing these obstacles physically to proceed with their movement.
#WATCH | Haryana: Concrete slabs, iron nails, barricades, barbed wires, police and paramilitary personnel deployed in Haryana's Jind as a measure to maintain law and order in view of farmers 'Delhi Chalo' march pic.twitter.com/GNFrVaoxIy
— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2024
Law enforcement authorities are actively monitoring social media platforms to gather information and extensively deploying drones to oversee activities associated with the ongoing protest. Additionally, the government has taken measures such as shutting down internet access in certain areas of Haryana to curb the spread of misinformation.
Jhajjar SP Arpit Jain stated, “11 companies deployed here. We are ensuring that there is no law and order situation and citizens do not face any trouble in commuting. As of now, there is no march towards the Tikri border (with Delhi), but the situation is dynamic, and we are monitoring it using various sources.”
The Delhi Police has sealed its borders with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, restricting the movement of traffic. Senior officers are present at the location, and central forces have been enlisted to manage the protestors.
Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Additional CP Northern Range, Delhi Police, remarked, “A sufficient number of police and CAPF personnel are deployed on all Delhi borders. During such large-scale protests, we request the administration to designate any large area as a temporary holding area or temporary detention center. For this protest, we’ve requested the administration to designate any large area as a temporary holding area to keep detained protestors.”