Farmers block national highway in Haryana against farm ordinances

Bhartiya Kisan Union and or farmer organisations on Thursday blocked national highway at Pipli in Kurukshetra district of Haryana to protest Centre's three farm ordinances, which y claimed were “anti-farmers”. Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) claimed that police resorted to lathicharge to disperse agitators. Kurukshetra superintendent of Police Astha Modi said agitators blocked national highway.

“Hundreds of farmers mand to reach Pipli Chowk and pelted stones on police personnel manning barriers,” a police officer said.

farmers also broke windowpanes of a fire brige vehicle parked at site, he said. police resorted to lathicharge to disperse crowd, officer said. Later, protesters sat on a dharna on National Highway 22 to block traffic. Reports of traffic blocked by farmers at various or ros around Kurukshetra have reached here. Earlier, despite strict arrangements me by district ministration to prevent any farmer from reaching Pipli grain market to participate in 'Kissan Bachao, Mandi Bachao' rally, many farmers mand to reach near destination.

About one hundred farmers travelling on ir tractors and or vehicles broke police barriers raised at Dayalpur crossing in Kurukshetra city and proceeded towards Pipli. Farmer leer Akshay Hathira, who was leing group, told media that state government was trying to curb voice of farmers by banning rally and imposing prohibitory orders under CrPC section 144 (prevents assembly of five or more people at one spot) at Pipli.

Meanwhile, Pipli Mandi and its surrounding areas were sealed by a large contingent of police. Congress leer Ashok Arora and Congress MLA from Lwa, Mewa Singh along with ir supporters reached outside Pipli Mandi and sat on ro when police prevented m from passing through barrier. BJP-led state government h asked BKU t to go ahe with rally in view of coronavirus pandemic.

Kurukshetra ministration h also pasted a letter outside BKU Haryana unit president Gurnam Singh’s residence warning him t to go ahe with rally. However, Singh h said that y will go ahe with protest. tably, farmers in Haryana and Punjab have been protesting against Farmers' Produce Tre and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020, and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.

Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda h on Wednesday extended his support to agitation against ordinances, which he claimed “seek to remove protection given to farmers”. Hooda, who is Leer of Opposition in Haryana, in a statement h said that t only farmers but labourers, tre nts and small trers will also be impacted.