Image Courtesy:indianexpress.com
There was a small victory for farmers protesting at Delhi borders, when authorities began removing barricades at Tikri and Ghazipur borders. Removal work at the Tikri site began on October 28, 2021 while police started work at the Ghazipur place on the following day.
Nails on Tikri border, and cemented barricades are being removed by Delhi Police. Now it will be easy to go from Delhi to Rohtak…#Modi_StopKillingFarmers pic.twitter.com/8iMdTrN478
— ਹਰਮਨਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ (@HarmanMalla) October 29, 2021
Highways leading to farmer protest sites at Tikri, Ghazipur and Singhu borders of Delhi were closed off since January 26 using rows of cement barricades, iron nails on streets, barbed wire and even iron rods. While carriageways were left open to allow ambulances and emergency services, the barricades posed a major inconvenience for citizens. However, JCBs began removing the equipment on Thursday after a Supreme Court hearing where authorities were criticised for stopping traffic indefinitely. The move also serves as a victory for farmers who had removed the barricades on their side after the October 21 hearing and demanded that police do the same.
“Farmers have maintained from day one that they haven’t blocked the roads but the police have. Glad that courts saw it and directed police to do the needful. A small victory but many more to come,” said Advocate Vasu Kukreja working for the legal team of the farmers’ movement.
Barricades are being removed from Ghazipur border. Farmers have maintained from day one that they haven’t blocked the roads but police has, glad that courts saw it and directed police to do the needful. A small victory but many more to come#FarmersProtest @jasveermuktsar pic.twitter.com/RIJQeZzvuT
— Farmer – Adv Vasu Kukreja (@AdvVasukukreja) October 29, 2021
Even so, it is unsure when the barricades will be removed completely and the holes along the highway will be filled.
Hours before the removal work began at Tikri, three women farmers died on Thursday morning after a dumper truck slammed into the women’s group sitting on the divider at Jhajjar road. Similarly, over 600 farmers have died while participating in the farmers struggle against the three contentious farm laws.
Farmer leaders asserted that they will not end their demonstrations until the three laws are repealed namely: the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance & Farm Services Act, Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act. Further, farmers demand the legalisation of Minimum Support Price (MSP), dismissal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill and contentious clauses in the Air Quality Management law.
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