Farmers take out protest marches, police use water cannon

Chandigarh, Jun 26 (PTI): Scores of protesting farmers from Punjab and Haryana on Saturday took out protest marches against the Centre’s three farm laws even as police used a water cannon to disperse cultivators as they broke barricades at the Chandigarh-Mohali border.
Farmers had planned to march towards Punjab and Haryana Raj Bhavans here and submit a memorandum to mark the completion of seven months of their agitation against the three central agri-marketing laws on June 26.
A heavy police force was deployed in and around Chandigarh to stop protesters from heading towards Punjab and Haryana Raj Bhavans, said officials. Barricades were put up at many places to prevent farmers coming from Mohali and Panchkula to go towards Chandigarh.
However, agitating farmers, coming from the Mohali side, entered Chandigarh after forcing their way through barricades put up at the Chandigarh-Mohali border while facing water cannon. A protester could be seen climbing to the top of a water cannon vehicle.
Earlier, a large number of farmers from several parts of Punjab assembled at Gurdwara Amb Sahib in Mohali before moving towards the Punjab Governor House.
Similarly, farmers from several parts of Haryana also gathered at Gurdwara Nada Sahib in Haryana’s Panchkula. They headed towards Haryana Raj Bhavan.
Farmers in Panchkula forced their way through a layer of barricades but they were not allowed to enter Chandigarh and stopped at the Chandigarh-Panchkula border where Haryana police had deployed water cannon and trucks.
Farmers coming from the Mohali side were led by farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal while protesters from the Haryana side were led by Haryana BKU (Chaduni) leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni and Samyukt Kisan Morcha member Yogendra Yadav.
Carrying farmer outfits’ flags and raising slogans against the BJP-led government, farmers, including women and youths, coming from Mohali marched towards Chandigarh on tractors, vehicles and walked on foot.
They were stopped near sector 17 by police where some buses were parked on the road to prevent protesters from heading towards Punjab Raj Bhavan. Rajewal there submitted the memorandum to the Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner for giving it to the Punjab Governor.

Tomar appeals farmers to end 7-month long protest:

New Delhi: As farmers’ protest against the new farm laws entered eighth month, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday appealed to protesting farmers to end their agitation while saying that the government is ready to resume talks on the provisions of three legislations. The government and farmer unions have held 11 rounds of talks so far, the last being on January 22, to break the deadlock and end the farmers’ protest. Talks have not resumed following widespread violence during a tractor rally by protesting farmers on January 26.
The Supreme Court has put on hold the implementation of the three laws till further orders and has set up a committee to find solutions. The committee has submitted its report.
“I want to convey through your (media) that farmers should end their agitation. ….Many are in favour of these new laws across the country. Still, some farmers have any issue with provisions of the laws, Government of India is ready to listen and discuss with them,” Tomar tweeted.
He said the government held 11 rounds of consultations with protesting farmer unions. The government has increased the minimum support price (MSP) and is procuring more quantity at MSP.