After the protesting farmers clashed with the police on the Punjab-Haryana border on Tuesday — the first day of what the protesters are calling a long haul — their Chalo Delhi march was paused for the night but protesters said they will try to cross the border again today. Many farmers were injured on Tuesday and the Punjab government sounded an alert to the hospitals located in Sangrur, Patiala, Dera Bassi, Mansa and Bathinda. Haryana police dropped tear gas shells — used drones to drop them — on the border in an attempt to stop them from crossing the border. Some policemen were also injured.
Chalo Delhi march won’t stop, traffic congestion expected: Top 10 developments
1. Commuters in New Delhi witnessed heavy traffic snarl in the capital owing to the spillover effect of the heavy security around Delhi’s borders. A similar situation is expected on Wednesday as well
2. The farmers stopped the march at night after they broke past at least three layers of barricades — removed the concrete barricades with rope and then removed the barbed wires. The farmers camped at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders at night.
3. The Punjab government alerted the hospitals near the border as many protesters were injured during the clash with the police.
4. Agriculture minister Arjun Munda said the government is ready to talk but the farmers are adding new demands to their list. Union minister Anurag Thakur said the government accepted many of their demands but issues like India walking out of the World Trade Organisation and cancellation of free trade agreements would require wider consultations.
5. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said if the party is voted to power, then it will provide a legal guarantee of MSP and would implement the Swaminathan report. Anurag Thakur said Congress is lying and misleading the people. “There was a Congress government for 60 years. Who had stopped them from enacting laws for all these years?” Thakur said.
7. After drone tear smoke launchers were used on the farmers for the first time in the country, Patiala deputy commissioner said he spoke to Ambala deputy commissioner to not use drones to drop teargas shells inside Punjab’s territory.
8. The protesters said they started the march with six months worth of food, fuel and other logistics and they won’t back out from the protest. Reports said small groups of farmers staying in ashrams, gurdwaras near Delhi can also hold protests.
9. Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory of traffic diversions around Tikri, Jharoda and Dhansa border between Delhi and Haryana.
10. Haryana extended mobile internet suspension in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa till February 15.
