Highway protests held across Haryana
Most state and national highways in Haryana remained closed for three hours as the ‘chakka jam’ call of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha against the three farm laws received an overwhelming response in state.
Thousands of commuters had to face problems as vehicles remained stuck in long traffic jams from 12pm to 3pm. Farmers lifted the blockade at 3pm by blowing horns of their vehicles for one-minute to show solidarity with the protest.
Amid heavy police deployment along the dharna spots and highways, the protest remained peaceful as no incidence of violence or clashes with police was reported.
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, during his visit to Karnal, said that the protests remained peaceful. He praised efforts of the officers and protesting farmers for conducting peaceful protests.
Farmers blocked the Delhi-Chandigarh NH-44 on three locations in Kurukshetra, Panipat and Karnal district.
In Karnal, farmers held protests at 11 locations and blocked many highways crossing from the district. Hundreds of farmers gathered at Bastara toll plaza in Karnal and blocked the highway by parking their tractors at the toll gates.
Farmers also blocked the Chandigarh-Hisar highway at Titram Chowk in Kaithal and Thana toll plaza at Pehowa in Kurukshetra. They also blocked the Panipat-Rohtak highway near Panipat, Karnal-Jind highway near Assandh, Kurukshetra-Yamunangar highway near Ladwa, Kurukshetra-Pehowa road and Kurukshetra-Kaithal road.
“Response to the ‘chakka jam’ is enough to prove public support in favour of farmers and all attempts of the government have failed to suppress this agitation. Today’s ‘chakka jam’ has given a new energy to the protesting farmer leaders,” said Jagdip Singh Aulakh, a farmer leader from Karnal.
The protesting farmers also expressed their apology to the commuters for the inconvenience they had to face even as farmers provide water and food to people stuck in the traffic jams. They had made arrangements for passage of ambulances, school vans and army vehicles.
The protest pressing for repealing of three farm laws got an overwhelming and disciplined response in in Ambala and Yamunanagar, which have a considerable presence of activists lead by BKU (Charuni).
At Shambhu border on NH-44, a bonhomie between farmers from Haryana and Punjab was seen. The protesters also blocked roads in Ambala City, Mullana, Saha, Barara, Naraingarh and Mohra areas. The Ambala Police made six diversion points for the traffic.
Similarly, in Yamunanagar, a road blockade was observed near Milk Majra toll plaza, Aurangabad village, Chhachharauli, Sadhaura, Bilaspur, Gumthala and Pabni Kalan village. The Yamunanagar Police made seven diversions around the protest sites.
Mandeep Chappar, district director of BKU (C), said, “This is just a symbolic protest. If the government doesn’t repeal the laws and take back the cases lodged against our brothers and sisters, the jams will be increased in the coming days.”