Ahead of Delhi march, Ambala cops get ready to stop protesting farmers

Nitish Sharma

Ambala, February 6

While farm activists are holding tractor marches and meetings to motivate farmers for ‘Delhi march’ on February 13, the Ambala police have started preparations to stop the farmers. They have also sent notices to the leaders asking them not to hold any protest march without permission.

The farm activists from Punjab and Haryana have announced that they would assemble near Shambhu toll plaza, enter Haryana and march towards Delhi to press for their pending demands and the guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops.

The Ambala police have issued advisory cautioning the general public not to participate in any protest without permission. Otherwise, action would be taken for disobeying orders. There is a possibility of damage to government property during the movement of the protesters.

Besides this, notices have been issued to farmer leaders and they have been asked not to hold any protest without permission. They have been also asked to submit details regarding their properties and bank accounts at the police station concerned by February 10 so that in case of any damage to public property, damages could be recovered from them.

Meanwhile, view cutters and frames are being installed on the Ghaggar bridge to stop farmers from throwing barricades into the river. Barbed wires, sand bags and cemented blocks, besides a heavy deployment will be used to stop the farmers from gathering and entering Ambala for the Delhi March. However, the farmers said that they would not take the call back and if any force is used, they would sit at the Shambhu border permanently.

Spokesman of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) Tejveer Singh said, “While the government is ready to create hurdles to stop the farmers, it has no intention to resolve the matter accepting the genuine demands. The police can’t stop us from holding a protest in a democratic way. The government should allow the farmers hold a protest at Jantar Mantar to raise the demands. We are also ready for discussions, but the meeting should be held by the Union Cabinet Minister or the Home Minister.”

Ambala SP Jashandeep Singh Randhawa said, “We have appealed to the public and farmer leaders not to participate in or hold any protest march without permission. Appropriate arrangements are being made and action will be taken to ensure that the law and order situation is not disturbed. We have held discussions with the farmer leaders too on this issue. We have also requested the Punjab Police to make adequate arrangements to stop the farmers in their area. Barricades will be erected and appropriate measures will be taken so that there is no loss to public property.”