Haryana-Punjab Borders Sealed With Barbed Wires Ahead of Feb 13 Farmers' March Towards Delhi

Chandigarh: Authorities in Haryana are stepping up their efforts to block the farmers who have announced to march towards Delhi on February 13, demanding enactment of a law to guarantee a minimum support price of crops. Over 200 farmer unions are likely to march towards Delhi on Tuesday. 

In order to block the farmers, cement barricades, iron nails and heavy police deployment have been planned. Police have also announced route diversions and a seven-tier security cordon are also a part of the elaborate arrangements. According to sources, all the Haryana-Punjab borders have been closed off using huge cement barricades and barbed wires. 

Section 144 in parts of Haryana

Section 144 has also been imposed in many districts of Haryana, including Panchkula. In Panchkula, a ban has been imposed on taking out processions, demonstrations, march pasts on foot or with tractor trolleys and other vehicles, and carrying any sticks, rods or weapons, Panchkula DCP Sumer Singh Pratap has ordered.

Heavy deployment of security agencies, including CRPF, have also been deployed along with the police force. 

Internet suspended in parts of Haryana

The Haryana government has also ordered the suspension of mobile internet services and bulk SMS in seven districts - Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa - ahead of the farmers' proposed march on Feb 13.

This comes even as the farmers are readying their tractor trolleys to participate in the march. In Punjab’s Rajpura, farmers took out a tractor march as part of their preparations to head towards Delhi. 

'Delhi Chalo' march

Earlier on Thursday, a three-member team of Union ministers held a detailed discussion with the farmer unions leaders and assured them that they would hold a second round of the meeting soon but their farmer union leaders also stated that their proposed 'Delhi Chalo' march stands.

Meanwhile, the ministers have called for a meeting with the union leaders a day before the march - on March 12 - in Chandigarh.

The demands of farmers also include "justice" for victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver and withdrawal of police cases.