Locals clash with farmers at Singhu border, Rahul Gandhi calls for laws repeal

Last updated on February 6th, 2021 at 08:59 am

On Friday, local residents clashed with farmers protesting at the Singhu border against the three farm laws. The police had to intervene and disperse the people using tear gas. Many protesters and policemen, including Delhi Police SHO (Alipur) Pradeep Paliwal, were injured in the clashes. 

The development comes after locals protested on Thursday demanding removal of farmers from the Singhu border. The locals expressed the difficulty they were facing in daily commute due to two months long farmers agitation. 

Declining to pay any heed to Ghaziabad authorities’ ultimatum of vacating the UP Gate site of protest, BKU (Bharatiya Kisan Union) members stayed on Delhi-Meerut expressway on Friday and called for additional farmers from western UP districts leading to crowd swell-ip by midnight. The Rakesh Tikait crowd continued to stay put even as powercuts happened frequently on Thursday evening. The farmers are at this site since November 28. 

Tikait announced, “we will commit suicide but won’t end the protest until the farm bills are repealed.”

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday, “Most farmers, except the ones in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, haven’t understood the (farm) bill completely. The government should know that these protests will not stop here. This agitation will spread from here to the big cities because it is not only the farmers who have been robbed of their livelihood. It is going to create instability which is not good for the country.” 

18 Opposition parties boycotted President’s address to joint Parliament sitting before the Budget session starts. The move is in solidarity with farmers and their unions who have been protesting for over two months demanding the repeal of three farm laws.

Citing the sensitive situation at Delhi borders after Red Fort violence on January 26, Haryana has suspended internet services in many areas including Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panipat, Hisar, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Rewari, Sirsa, Yamunanagar till January 30. Services are already suspended in Palwal, Jhajjar, and Sonipat districts.