Opposition parties on Tuesday put the blame on the Modi government for what they described as "brutal police action" against thousands of farmers marching towards the national capital, with the Congress alleging that the "Badshah of Delhi Sultanate was drunk with power".
Opposition parties on Tuesday put the blame on the Modi government for what they described as "brutal police action" against thousands of farmers marching towards the national capital, with the Congress alleging that the "Badshah of Delhi Sultanate was drunk with power".
The parties accused the central government of being 'anti-farmer' and demanded allowing the protesters to enter Delhi to peacefully air their grievances, even as the government went into a huddle to mull over ways to convince the farmers to call off their protest.
Farmers stayed put on the Delhi-UP border in Ghaziabad and other places, where they were stopped by the police including with the use of water cannons and tear-gas shells. Some reports suggested use of lathi-charge as well.
The protest call has been given by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices.
The farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the UP Police and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police. Tear gas was also used to disperse the crowd, officials said.
The Delhi Police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members were marching from Haridwar to reach the national capital.
Seeking to convince the farmers to move back from their protest, the government announced that a committee of chief ministers will look into their demands, but the protesters stayed put saying they were not "satisfied" with the assurance.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh held discussions with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and a few others to discuss the farmers' issue, after which Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat met the protesters to assure them that their demands will be looked into
1. Water cannons
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Police try to stop farmers during a protest demanding better price for their produce on the outskirts of New Delhi - Reuters
2. Tear gas pellets
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A Delhi police personnel fires a tear gas shell to disperse and stop farmer activists of the Bhartiya Kisan Union at the border Uttar Pradesh during their march to New Delhi on October 2, 2018. - Clashes broke out on the outskirts of Delhi on October 2 as police used water cannon and tear gas to stop thousands of protesting farmers entering the Indian capital, with at least one person reportedly injured. The farmers, marching from adjoining northern states, blocked one of the highways into the city and used tractors to try and break through a police barrier, television pictures showed. Some reportedly threw stones at police - AFP
3. Protests in full force
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Farmers protesting at Delhi-UP border during Kisan Kranti Padyatra in New Delhi - PTI
4. The battle continues
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Police use water cannons to disperse farmers protesting at Delhi-UP border during Kisan Kranti Padyatra in New Delhi on Tuesday - PTI
5. Farmers raise slogans
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Police use water cannons to disperse farmers protesting at Delhi-UP border during Kisan Kranti Padyatra in New Delhi on Tuesday - PTI
6. Violence continues
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The Delhi Police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members were marching from Haridwar to reach the national capital. - AFP
