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Rajasthan farmers break police barricades, march towards Delhi to join protest


Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jan 01, 2021:    A group of protesting farmers from Rajasthan broke through police barricades on the Haryana-Rajasthan border on Thursday. These farmers are on their way to Delhi to join others who have been protesting against the central government’s new farm laws for more than one month.

 

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According to new agency ANI, when the farmers were attempting to break through police barricades, a clash ensued between the police and protesting farmers during which cops fired teargas shells and used water cannons.

After breaking through the barricades, a convoy of tractors marched towards Delhi.

 


Police said while farmers on around 25 tractor-trailers pushed past the barricades, others stayed behind on the Rajasthan side of the Shahjahanpur-Rewari border.

Farmers have been on a dharna at the site, blocking the road for several days in protest over the three new agri-marketing laws enacted at the Centre.

Farmer leaders at the site made clear that the protesters who forced their way into Haryana did not have their consent. Kisan Mahapanchayat president Rampal Jat said the agitation was going on peacefully but some of the farmers forcibly entered Haryana, which was not expected of them.

Haryana Police officials said a group of farmers, mostly youths, broke through the barricades set up by them in a bid to move towards Delhi.

"There were some young elements who came with tractors and broke through the barricades. We tried to stop them and gently persuade them. However, they were very aggressive and turned violent. They were not even listening to farmer leaders," Rewari Superintendent of Police Abhishek Jorwal told news agency PTI.

Meanwhile, farmer leaders at Shahjahanpur called for peace in the agitation. "We are sitting here peacefully and asking our members not to resort to violence," Kisan Mahapanchayat president Rampal Jat said. "We have sent some of our members to talk to those who entered Haryana to convince them to return," Jat added.

FARMERS ALLEGE LATHICHARGE

However, some farmers have alleged that the Haryana Police resorted to lathicharge against farmers who were trying to cross the border and reach Delhi.

In a statement, the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) condemned the lathicharge of farmers from Rajasthan. "AIKSCC condemns the Haryana Police lathicharge on farmers at Rajasthan-Haryana border. Repression will lead to greater determination of farmers," it said, adding that Committee will "counter the repression with huge mobilisations".

"The AIKSCC severely condemns the repression (of farmers) in BJP-ruled and BJP-influenced states and has decided to counter this with huge mobilisations. It has called upon farmers to hold yatras in states and organise rallies at the district level," the statement said.
RESOLUTION STILL ELUSIVE

On Wednesday, the central government and farm unions reached some common ground to resolve protesting farmers’ concerns over rise in power tariff and penalties for stubble burning. However, the two sides remained deadlocked over the main contentious issues of the repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee for MSP.

The sixth round of talks between the farmers’ leaders and the government continued for nearly five hours. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said at least 50 per cent resolution has been reached with mutual agreement on two out of four items on the agenda and discussions would continue on the remaining two on January 4 at 2 PM.

He also hoped that the new year will herald new solutions and asserted that the Modi government has always been sensitive to farmers’ issues.

"Discussions on the three farm laws and MSP are not complete and will continue in the next round of talks... We are hopeful that consensus would be reached for resolving the two remaining issues also," Tomar said.

Meanwhile, farmers’ leaders said the government agreed to their demands of dropping the penal provisions against farmers in an ordinance relating to stubble burning and to put on hold a proposed electricity amendment law.

However, there was no concrete movement on their main demands for repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee for MSP, union leaders said.


Courtesy:India Today