'Delhi Chalo' protest: Hundreds of farmers gather along Punjab-Haryana border, security deployed

Ambala: Hundreds of farmers from Punjab and Haryana have started assembling near Haryana borders with tractor-trailers for their proposed march to Delhi against the Centre’s agriculture-related laws.

As a preventive step, neighbouring BJP-ruled Haryana has imposed Section 144 of the CrPC to prevent assembly of protesters.

According to reports, security personnel have been deployed on the Chandigarh-Delhi Highway as farmers have started to assemble in large numbers to proceed to the national capital for staging a demonstration on Wednesday. 

The Delhi Police on Wednesday asserted that it has rejected all requests received from various farmer organisations to protest in the national capital against the Centre's new farm laws, according to PTI.

The Delhi Police had on Tuesday said that legal action would be taken against the protesting farmers if they come to the city for any gathering amid the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

The agitating farmers rom Punjab and Haryan and some other states will reach Delhi on November 26 through five highways connecting the city as part of their 'Delhi Chalo' march call.

Taking to Twitter, the Delhi Police said requests have been rejected for any such gathering in the national capital.

"REGARDING FARMER ORGANIZATIONS MARCH TO DELHI ON 26 & 27 NOVEMBER. All the requests received from various Farmer Organisations regarding the protest in Delhi on 26 and 27 November have been rejected and this has already been communicated to the organisers," Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) tweeted.

"Please co-operate with Delhi Police in ensuring no gathering in Delhi amid coronavirus, failing which legal action will be initiated as per law," it said.

REGARDING FARMER ORGANIZATIONS MARCH TO DELHI ON 26&27 NOVEMBER

All the requests received from various Farmer Organisations regarding protest in Delhi on 26 and 27 November have been rejected and this has already been communicated to the organisers.@CPDelhi @LtGovDelhi

— #weservedilse_DCPNewDelhi (@DCPNewDelhi) November 25, 2020

The Haryana Police had on Tuesday issued a travel advisory asking commuters to avoid certain national highways along the state border with Delhi and Punjab in view of `Dilli Chalo` farmers` protest on November 26-27.

Haryana Police said it has blocked some highways as per directions of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, to ensure law and order ahead of farmers` protest call in the state.

Meanwhile, since the resumption of train service in Punjab, which was earlier stopped amid farmers` protest, a total of 25 passenger trains have successfully arrived so far, out of which the number of trains reaching Punjab from other states are 20, and the total number of passenger trains from Punjab to other states are now up to five. 

A total of 56 freight trains from Punjab have left for other states since train services started operating in Punjab. 

Farmers in Punjab have been observing several protests against the three new farm laws, passed by the central government in September this year.

Parliament had passed the three agriculture Bills - The Farmers` and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020. Various opposition parties have termed these legislations are not farmer-friendly. 

The protest has the support of over 500 farmer organisations.

The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh and various factions of the Bharatiya Kisan Union have joined hands and formed a ‘Samyukta Kisan Morcha' to press the central government to scrap the three farm laws.