 "Farmers call for protest after Haryana, Punjab evict them, open borders")
Farmers have called for fresh protests on Thursday following their eviction from the Shambhu and Khanauri borders on Wednesday night.
Leaders of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha said they will hold dharnas outside the offices of deputy commissioners in protest against the police crackdown.
In response to the police action, a group of farmers staged a protest in Gidderbaha, Muktsar district. Meanwhile, another group, including women, clashed with police in Moga district as they attempted to march toward the office of deputy commissioner of police to stage a demonstration.
On Wednesday, Punjab Police detained several farmer leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, in Mohali as they returned from a meeting with a central delegation led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Chandigarh.
Haryana begins removing border barricades
After the eviction of protesting farmers from the Shambhu border on Wednesday night, Haryana security personnel began dismantling cemented barricades on Thursday morning. These barricades had been set up to prevent Punjab farmers from marching toward Delhi.
According to media reports, JCB machines were deployed to remove the concrete blocks and clear the Shambhu-Ambala road, which had remained closed for over a year.
“Hopefully, the road will be opened for traffic in the next 3-4 hours,” said Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police, Nanak Singh, reports the news agency PTI. Sibash Kabiraj, Inspector General of Police (Ambala Range), said Haryana side barricades will be removed by Thursday evening and road traffic could be restored thereafter.
With cement blocks, iron nails, and barbed wire, Haryana security officials had heavily fortified the state border with Punjab to block the farmers’ movement under their ‘Delhi Chalo’ programme.
On Wednesday, Punjab Police detained several farmer leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, in Mohali as they were returning from a meeting with a central government delegation led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Chandigarh.
Additionally, police cleared the protesting farmers from the Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites, which had remained blocked for over a year. Police also used JCB machines to remove stages and temporary structures set up at these two sites where farmers camped during the protest.
[With agency inputs]