Haryana farmers protest against the farm laws on the Delhi-Chandigarh highway

Photo Credits: Hindustan Times

The Haryana government asked for the police force to set up on the national highway 44, which is close to Raipur Roran village based in the Karnal district on Thursday as the farmers had caused a blockade on both the carriageways of the Delhi-Chandigarh highway protesting against the recently passed three key farm bills, said officials.

The farmers had asked for a chakka jam which would cause a block on various national and state highways in the state.

Alongside, nearly hundreds of farmers continued to protest with the banner of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni), thereby reaching the GT Road and crowded at NH 44. The farmers are being constantly requested by the district administration officials to clear their blockade from the highway.

The sources revealed the officials urged the farmers to continue with the protests on the slip roads rather than impacting the traffic on the main highway.

Gurunam Singh Charuni, Bhartiya Kisan Union’s state president had announced earlier that they would block the highway as their protests are a part of Bharat Bandh, given by various organizations and associations, who have protested against the recently passed farm bills. He stated the blockade and the protests will be continue till 4 pm.

Efforts were being made to assure that the farmers would not continue blocking the national highway 44 as it impacts thousands of travelers, said Karnal deputy commissioner, Nishant Kumar Yadav. Yadav said, “Farmers are being requested to hold their protest at a specific location.”

The officials said the administration has done the required arrangements to deviate the traffic to the link roads for circumventing the block.

Alongside, in Punjab, the farmers have blocked the traffic at several locations in Bathinda and the surrounding districts. A large crowd of farmers was present at the Bhai Ghanaiya Chowk, which is a national highway junction that connects Bathinda to Patiala-Chamdigarh, Ferozepur-Rajasthan and Amritsar-Jalandhar. Though this has not affected the operations of the markets and other commercial establishments of the city.

The farmers also caused a block on the national and state highways in Sangrur and Barnala districts for opposing the farm laws. They called for dharna at places in Sangrur, Bhawanigarh, Malerkotla, Sherpur, Dhuri, Sunam, Moonak, Ladda, Kalajahar and Lehra located in Sangrur district. Farmers announced that the protests will block the highway commencing at 12 noon and end by 4 pm.