Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Karnal/Bathinda/Palwal, February 6
Farmers on Saturday parked their tractor-trailers in the middle of roads and raised slogans against the Centre during a three-hour-long “chakka jam” agitation in Punjab and Haryana.
Women took part in the stir in a sizeable number at several places.
The call for the nationwide “chakka jam” was given by the Samkyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farm unions protesting the Centre’s farm laws at the Delhi borders.
Farmers blocked 11 points in Karnal district. Bastara toll plaza on NH-44 was the main site where farmers gathered.
Punjabi singer Pammi Bai participates in the Chakka Jam in Patiala.
Farmers and their supporters block Krishna Chwok in Gurugram. Tribune Photo: Sukh Chandan
Meanwhile, farmers in Bathinda blocked eight places in the district.
Members of the 52 Khaps (Pals) stage a sit-in on NH-19, near Antoha village, Palwal, as part of ‘Chakka Jam’ announced by farmers’ unions, in Palwal on Saturday. Tribune Photo
All national and state highways in the district have been blocked.
Police on alert during farmers’ ‘Chakka Jam’ on the Delhi-Gurugram border on Saturday. Tribune Photo: Sukh Chandan
Punjabi actors Dev Kharoud and Binnu Dhillon (in blue turban) participate in the Chakka Jam in Patiala. Tribune Photo
Farmers are protesting at Kanhiya Chowk, the Bathinda-Amritsar highway, Lehra Bega toll plaza and Rampura on the Bathinda-Chandigarh national highway among other places in the district.
A large number of farmers are carrying the Tricolour along with the union flags at the protest spots.
Farmers protest at Kanhiya Chowk at the Bathinda-Amritsar national highway, in Bathinda on Saturday. Tribune Photo
Emergency and essential services such as ambulance and school bus will not be stopped, the protesters have said. However, there was no report of violence from anywhere in both the states.
Heavy police presence was seen at various places in Haryana and Punjab to maintain law and order in view of the protest by the farmers.
Police barricade at main roads of national highways in Ludhiana on Saturday. Tribune Photo: Himanshu Mahajan
Meanwhile, Delhi Police are all geared up to tackle any surprise element, including ‘flash mob’ tactics and ‘protest call on social media’ in view of the ‘chakka jam’.
Security has been tightened at strategic locations and the police are keeping an eye on the protest build-up in the bordering states and the protest sites close to Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders.
