Cops halt march to Parliament over farm laws, 14, including former Union minister, arrested
NEW DELHI: Fourteen senior leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), including former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal, were detained on Friday during a protest march of thousands of farmers, activists, and party workers who had gathered in Delhi to mark one year of the three contentious farm laws.
Although the proposed march – from Rakab Ganj gurdwara to Parliament House – was not allowed by the Delhi Police on Friday citing Covid-19 restrictions, SAD leaders held a symbolic march along Pandit Pant Marg till the entry to Parliament House Annexe, barely 500 metres from the gurdwara, with banners and flags demanding a repeal of the three farm laws.
Police said nearly 1,500 protesters under SAD’S banner gathered at Rakab Ganj to begin their protest march in the morning. “To handle the situation, an adequate number of security personnel from Delhi Police and central armed forces was deployed and barricades were placed to prevent agitators from marching towards Parliament. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal were among 14 people removed from the protest venue and briefly detained at Parliament Street police station. All of them were later released,” said deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi)
Deepak Yadav.
However, the proposed march and multiple barricades led to massive snarls on arterial roads in the national capital. In central Delhi, all roads leading to Gurdwara Rakab Ganj and Parliament House were barricaded and checking of vehicles intensified.
Commuters were stuck in jams at several places till late afternoon.
Police said they received information that around 10,000 farmers were planning to take part in the Delhi march.
SAD has been extending support to farmers protesting at the Delhi border points of Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur since last November, demanding a repeal of the farm laws.