Delhi borders sealed,Police uses water cannons on protesting farmers in Haryana

Farmers Protest: The Haryana Police on Thursday used water cannons on protesting farmers near the Punjab border as they continued with their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march against the Centre’s three farm laws. Although the Haryana police on Wednesday afternoon sealed the inter-state border with Punjab at Shambhu village on National Highway 44, farmers gathered here in large numbers as they tried to enter the state. In Delhi, the administration has sealed all the entry points and deployed the CRPF.

Farmers who are protesting against the three new farm laws have given a ‘Delhi Chalo’ call to lodge their protest against the laws. The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh and various factions of Bharatiya Kisan Union have joined hands and formed a “Samyukta Kisan Morcha” to press the central government to scrap the three farm laws.

Meanwhile, public services have been affected as central trade unions began a nationwide strike on Thursday, with a union representative saying that Tamil Nadu and Kerala have been affected the most so far due to the agitation. A day-long strike has been called for by a joint platform of ten central trade unions, including Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC) and Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA). Others are All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC).

Various independent federations and associations are also part of the joint platform. They are protesting against the new farm and labour laws, among other workers-related issues, as well as to raise various demands.