Farm Stir 2.0: Punjab farmers swarm Haryana borders

The Haryana authorities’ steps to thwart them notwithstanding, the protesting farmers appeared resolute and apparently prepared to counter police action. While the police used drones to drop teargas shells on the farmers, they could be seen with their faces covered with wet clothes and in many cases with headgears equipped with masks. Besides, the tens of hundreds of farmers who had come with trolleys full of ration, utensils and even makeshift toilets appeared ready for a long stay in case of need. Scores of trolleys could also be seen loaded with firewood, fuel, fans and coolers, besides adequate beddings. Industries, motorists suffer Meanwhile, amid the farmers’ stir, it was the industrial and business houses and tens of thousands of motorists who suffered because of the sealed borders and stretches of the national highways connecting Punjab with Haryana. The motorists choosing diversions and alternative routes too underwent harrowing times in the wake of jams there. The industrialists and the business houses of Sonepat and Jhajjar also bemoaned the huge losses being caused to them because of the farmers’ agitation as they recall how they suffered huge losses during the 2020-2021 stir. Similar views came from the industries cluster of Bahadurgarh which has Tikri border where tension was also said to be mounting due to the farmers’ stir. HC for protest at designated area Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court which was hearing a plea against the suspension of internet services in Haryana and sealing of state borders in view of the farmers’ march, has suggested that the states should identify a designated area for the protesters. The High Court has issued notices asking the Punjab, Haryana and Union government for a status report and favoured resolving the dispute by urging the parties involved to sit down and solve the problem on February 15. Notably, the High Court has also questioned the Haryana government for putting the blockades on the highways in view of the farmers’ march. “Keeping in view the exigencies of the situation and the general hardship being caused to the public, the court is sanguine that all the parties to the present dispute would make efforts to sit down and solve the problem, and even if a demonstration has to take place, an area should be identified by both the States to allow peaceful agitation by the protesters,” the bench of acting Chief Justice G S Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji said.