'Delhi Chalo' march: Farmers hell bent on stopping lifeline of northern states, says Haryana govt

Chandigarh: Farmers' unions are 'hell bent' on stopping the lifeline of northern states and their movement has instilled a 'sense of fear' among the people of the state, the Haryana government submitted before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday.

The submission was filed in an affidavit before a division bench of Acting Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Vikas Suri.

The court had on Tuesday, while hearing a petition pertaining to the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march, issued notices to the Centre, and the states of Haryana and Punjab, to file status reports.

The Punjab government, in a separate affidavit, submitted that till Wednesday evening, there had gathered around 12,000-13,000 people, along with about 1,120 tractors and 1,320 trolleys at Shambhu border, and about 4,000-5,000 farmers, along with 450 tractors and 470 trolleys, at Khanauri border.

According to the status report, which was filed in an affidavit by TVSN Prasad, additional chief secretary (home), Haryana, some farmer unions, under the banner of 'Kisan Majdoor Morcha' and 'Samyukta Kisan Morcha' (Non-Political), gave a call of 'Delhi Chalo' march without seeking any permission or informing the state authorities.

There were inputs that the agitators in thousands will move in modified tractor/trollies with weapons and arrangements for camping in Delhi. Inputs are also coming that they will 'gherao' the Parliament, the report said.

The protest has been planned along the lines of the yearlong farmer blockade of Delhi in 2020-2021, which crippled the movement of general commuters, as well as that of goods and essential services, in the NCR, it said.

The government submitted that the last agitation held by the farmers' unions was not only violent, but also witnessed indulging in crime by agitators, who created a ruckus in Delhi on January 26, 2021 and removed Tricolour from Red Fort.

Stating that police have done a multi-layer barricading on all major inter-state borders entry points, it said, 'Therefore, if the agitators are allowed to move further, they will camp at the borders of Delhi on the side of Haryana State like they had done during last agitation.' It added, 'Farmers' camping on the highways would badly affect movement of human beings, goods and essential services.

'The farmers' unions are hell bent to stop lifeline of Northern Indian states and hence, in such a scenario, the authorities are making sincere efforts in accordance with law to maintain movement of citizens, goods and essential services by stopping the agitating farmers from entering in the State of Haryana Territory.'

Similarly, other state highways or the roads connecting cities and villages with each other cannot be allowed to be seized by the agitators, it submitted.

The government said that the apprehensions raised by intelligence inputs have been confirmed by the action of farmers' unions in the last two days.

'Every effort is being made by the agitators to breakdown the barricades erected by the Haryana Police at borders of Haryana. They are moving with modified tractors and holding weapons.

'Hence, the violent movement of the agitators on national/state highways has instilled a sense of fear amongst citizens of the state of Haryana that the farmers' unions will again choke movement of persons, essential goods and services which will have adverse effect on industrial/ economic activities,' said the report.

The Haryana government has identified sites in Yamunanagar, Charkhi Dadri, Kurukshetra, Jhajjar, Panchkula and Karnal for the farmers to hold peaceful protests.

According to the status report filed by way of affidavit of Punjab Special DGP Arpit Shukla, detailed security arrangements have been made by the Patiala, Sangrur, Bathinda, Mansa, and Muktsar districts police to deal with 'any situation.' The situation at Shambhu and Khanauri borders is tense but under control, the report said.

Petitioner Uday Pratap Singh has sought directions from the court to stay all 'obstructive' actions by the governments of Haryana, Punjab and Union government against the farmers' protest. The court fixed February 20 as the next date of hearing.