New Delhi: Braving water cannons and tear gas shells over the last two days, the 'Delhi Chalo' protesting farmers were on Friday allowed to enter Delhi and were escorted by the city police to Nirankari Ground in Burari that has been set a protesting site.
The decision came following a meeting between senior police officers and farmers union where they agreed to shift the protestors to the site to continue the agitation peacefully.
VM Singh, national convenor of the All India Kisan Sangrash Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), which is coordinating the farmers’ efforts to oppose the agricultural bills condemned the use of tear gas and water cannons on protesting farmers.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, he said, "We asked for permission to protest at Ram Leela maidan on November 1 and it was denied. Now Nirankari ground at Burari has been allotted. Farmers are against these laws and will protest until the government revoke it. Our future strategy will be decided after discussing with all groups."
These protesting farmers are representing over 30 farm bodies and had already announced that would be coming to Delhi to talk to the government against the Farm bills. They had specified several routes - Lalru, Shambhu, Patiala-Pehowa, Patran-Khanauri, Moonak-Tohana, Ratia-Fatehabad and Talwandi-Sirsa via which the farmers would reach the capital.
Also read: Farmers' protest LIVE: Farmers enter Delhi; relentless protesters say struggle will continue
Demanding that the central government withdraws the new farm laws, the protesting farmers say that it [Farm bills, 2020] should be replaced with another set of legislations framed after wider consultation with the stakeholders.
The Delhi Police used tear gas shells at least thrice to disperse a group of farmers who had reached the Singhu border as part of their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march early this week. Sand-laden trucks and water cannons were stationed. Barbed wire was used for fencing the Singhu border to prevent the protesters from entering the city which was later removed by protestors.
