Farmers protesting on Saturday February 6 called for a nationwide roadblock or “chakka jam” in support of their demand to repeal three new farm laws they describe as “anti-farmers.” Dozens of people in tractors have continued to arrive in Ghazipur from the Uttar Pradesh side of the road and many left for their hometowns determined to make the mega rally a success in their regions.
This is the first major event organized by agitators farmers after the Republic Day tractor rally, which saw chaotic scenes as groups of protesting farmers disrupted the planned parade route, entered the center of the national capital, clashed with the police and hoisted an agricultural union flag and a Sikh religious flag on the walls of the iconic Red Fort.
Why the ‘Chakka Jam’
The ‘chakka jam’ has been called by Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an organization that groups 40 farmers’ unions protesting against agricultural laws. This is the response to the 2021 Union Budget which is said to have “ignored” the demands of farmers and the internet ban imposed by the central government at various protest sites that line the national capital.
Which parts will be affected
Except for Delhi, the lockdown will take place in other parts of the National Capital Region, which comprises parts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, and the rest of the country, including the southern states.
Speaking to reporters, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait, who has been leading the uproar since November last year, said: “Dilli mein hum nahi kar rahe, wahan a raja ne khud qile-bandi kar li hai smoke jaam karne ki zaroorat hi nahi hai (We are not going to do anything in Delhi, the king has already fortified it, there is no need for us to do a blockade now) “
For how long
The ‘Chakka Jam’ is expected to be a three-hour lockdown between 12 noon and 3 pm on roads and highways. Tikait has said that vehicles that come and stop will receive food and water. These people will also be provided with items such as ‘chana’ and peanuts and informed of what the government is doing with the farmers.
The Kisan leader has also called ‘Chakka Jam’ an ‘ideological revolution’ led by farmers. He added that the revolt has no connection to phones or social media platforms such as WhatsApp in a reference to the suspension of internet services at farmers’ protest sites on the Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri borders.
Security arrangements
In view of the ‘Chakka Jam’ at the national level, the Delhi Police have tightened security measures at all border points in the national capital. The police have erected multi-layered barricades to stop the movement of vehicles on the Ghazipur border. Barbed wire has also been placed to keep people on foot out.
Haryana Police have also stepped up security measures in an attempt to maintain public order. Senior police officers have been asked to personally oversee security and traffic arrangements at vital crossings and roads, while district police chiefs have been instructed to ensure the deployment of adequate personnel, according to an official communication issued to them. Shipping.
What the protests are about
Farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been camping on the borders of Delhi seeking repeal of the three agricultural laws. Protesting farmers have expressed fear that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the “mercy” of large corporations. However, the government has rejected these claims stating that the laws will only give farmers more options to sell their produce.
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