Farmers announce ‘Chakka Jam’ on Feb 6: Security beefed up, additional forces deployed at borders

The ongoing farmers’ agitation has entered its 73rd day and the farmers have continued to camp at the Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri borders around the national capital.

The protesting Kisan unions have called for a nationwide ‘chakka jam’ on Saturday blocking all roads across the country. The mega rally has been called against the internet ban by the Centre, as well as in response to Monday’s Budget 2021 that “ignored” the demands of farmers.

The Delhi Police has beefed up security, deployed additional forces at borders, studded iron nails on the road and built walls for barricading as farmers try to enter the national capital.

On Thursday, going firm on their demand, hundreds of farmers spent another night in the cold and withstood spells of drizzle at Ghazipur border.

Rakesh Tikait said the blockade will not be done in Delhi but will take place in other parts of the National Capital Region, which comprises parts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, and the rest of country including the southern states.

Addressing a press conference, farmer union leaders said that highways and roads would be blocked between 12 noon and 3 pm on Saturday, February 6. All major routes are expected to be blocked not just in the national capital but across the country.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union had announced that there would be a country-wide agitation on February 6 against the contentious farm bills.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has already extended the suspension of internet services at the farmer protest sites in Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri borders till Tuesday night.

Internet services were also temporary suspended in some parts of Delhi on January 26, when large scale violence was reported during the farmers’ tractor rally.

The iron nails studded on roads have been “repositioned” behind the barricades, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Deepak Yadav.

At Singhu border, workers under the watch of police personnel on Monday were seen hooking iron rods between two rows of cement barriers on a flank of the main highway to put up a makeshift wall, to further restrict the movement of protesters.

On further talks between the farmers and the government to break the impasse, he said that decision will be taken by the committee of the farmer’s unions.

Police and paramilitary forces, deployed in large numbers here in the wake of the Republic Day furore, remained on the ground while multi-layered barricades and concertina wires remained in place along with iron nails studded on roads to prevent any movement towards Delhi.

Drones have also been deployed to monitor the protesters.