After a violence-marred tractor rally on Republic Day, farmers protesting the three farm laws have called for a three-hour “peaceful chakka jam” across the country, except Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, on Saturday.
Here's all you need to know:
1. Reason for chakka jam | The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), spearheading the agitation against the farm laws, had called for blocking national and state highways on Saturday to protest against the internet ban near the protest sites and alleged harassment of the protesters by the police.
2. Security beefed up | Keen to avoid a repeat of the events of January 26, the Delhi Police has stepped up security across the three protest sites – Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur borders of the national capital — by erecting cement barriers, putting barbed wires and iron spikes to prevent the entry of farmers’ tractors in the city.
3. No chakka jam in Delhi | “There will be no chakka jam programme inside Delhi since all the protest sites are already in a chakka jam mode. All roads for entering into Delhi will remain open except where farmers' protest sites are already located,” Darshan Pal, leader of the SKM said.
4. Time | The 'chakka jam' would be observed between 12:00 pm and 3:00 pm on Saturday when all national and state highways would be blocked.
5. Farmers' unions have said that emergency and essential services such as ambulances and school buses will not be stopped and the chakka jam will be peaceful.
6. In a separate statement, Bhartiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have been exempted from the chakka jam, as he apprehended that a few people could attempt to spread violence.
7. Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at three Delhi border points – Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur – for over 70 days, demanding a complete repeal of three farm laws.
8. According to the SKM, the 'chakka jam' will conclude at 3 pm by blowing vehicle horns for one minute, a move aimed at expressing support and solidarity with the farmers.
9. The Congress on Friday extended support to the countrywide 'chakka jam' called by farmer unions on February 6, saying party workers will stand shoulder to shoulder with farmers in their protest.
10. The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the three new laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporations. However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.