- By Talibuddin Khan
- Wed, 21 Feb 2024 12:03 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Farmers' Protest: The deadlock between the farmers and the Centre over the demand for a law on MSP persists with the protesting farmers planning a march towards Delhi on Wednesday. In view of the proposed march, the Delhi Police directed security personnel deployed at the city's Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur border points to stay alert and conducted mock drills today.
The move came a day after the protesting farmers rejected the Centre's proposal to buy pulses, maize and cotton crops through government agencies at MSP for five years. Security personnel have been directed to not allow even a single protester or vehicle to enter Delhi, he said, adding that mock security drills were conducted during the day. The Delhi Police has already stocked up 30,000 tear gas shells.
The Delhi Police has said that commuters might face traffic congestion on Wednesday. The two border points of Delhi and Haryana - Tikri and Singhu - are sealed with the heavy deployment of police personnel and multi-layered barricades of concrete and iron nails. Two lanes of the Ghazipur border have also been shut. If required, the Ghazipur border may also be shut on Wednesday, an official said, as quoted by PTI.
- Punjab-Haryana High Court Slams Protesting Farmers
The Punjab and Haryan High Court on Tuesday rapped the protesting farmers for using tractor trolleys on highways saying that "the farmers have right to protest but it is subject to reasonable restrictions". The High Court also questioned the Punjab government for allowing the farmers to assemble at borders in large numbers.
The bench of acting chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji objected to farmers travelling in tractor trolleys and said, "According to the Motor Vehicle Act, you can’t use tractor-trolleys on the highway. You are travelling from Amritsar to Delhi on trolleys."
The court's oral observations came during a hearing on the plea against the protests. The plea was filed by advocate Uday Pratap Singh, who pointed out that the road blockade is not only causing inconvenience to residents but also hindering the movement of ambulances, school buses and pedestrians.
During the hearing, the Punjab and Haryana administrations presented status updates regarding the current situation. The court, scheduling the next hearing for next week, has requested a report on the results of discussions with farmers by the adjourned date.
- Farmers Demand Special Parliament Session To Bring Law On MSP
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher today demanded that the Centre should convene a daylong Parliament session to bring a legislation on the MSP for crops. He also asked the Centre to accept the other main demands of the farmers, including farm loan waiver.
"We demand that a law to guarantee the MSP be brought. If the prime minister has the will power, a daylong session of Parliament can be convened. No opposition party will oppose it. I demand that all opposition parties make their stand clear that if the Centre brings a law on the MSP, they will vote for it. Be it the Shiromani Akali Dal or the Congress -- they should make their stand clear. The Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, and other parties should also make their stand clear," Pandher said.
In the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders on Sunday, a panel of three Union ministers proposed that government agencies would buy pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP for five years after agreeing with farmers. However, the farmers rejected the proposal saying it was not in favour of them.
He requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce that the farm loans would be waived, while a mechanism for the same could be worked out later. "The BJP claims that the present prime minister is a strong prime minister. If he makes an announcement on waiving the debt of 80 crore farmers and farm labourers, it will stamp the BJP's claim that he is a strong prime minister," Pandher said.
(With Agency Inputs)
