Farmers protest: The Haryana government today (February 20) extended the ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts till Wednesday (February 21) in the wake of farmers 'Delhi Chalo' agitation.
The affected districts are-
- Ambala
- Kurukshetra
- Kaithal
- Jind
- Hisar
- Fatehabad
- Sirsa
The government had earlier extended the suspension of mobile internet on February 13, 15, 17 and 19. In the order, Additional Chief Secretary of Haryana TVSN Prasad said, "After assessment of the prevailing law and order situation in the state, conditions are still critical and tense in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts."
"There is a clear potential of disruption of public utilities, damage to public assets and amenities and disturbance of public law and order in above-mentioned districts on account of misuse of internet services by way of spread of inflammatory material and false rumours," Prasad said.
Internet suspension order
The order has been issued under Section 5 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and Rule 2 of Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules 2017. According to the order, the suspension of mobile internet services, bulk SMS (excluding banking and mobile recharge) and all dongle services provided on mobile networks except voice calls in the jurisdiction of the seven districts has been extended till February 21.
The order has been extended to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order and shall be in force up to February 21. Protesting farmers have been staying put at Shambhu and Khanauri points on Punjab's border with Haryana after their 'Delhi Chalo' march to press the Centre for various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, was stopped by security forces which led to clashes last week.
Haryana asks Punjab to seize bulldozers
Haryana Police today asked its Punjab counterparts to seize bulldozers which they say protesting farmers from Punjab have brought with them as they plan to resume their 'Delhi Chalo' from the interstate border. The farmers were set to begin their march again on Wednesday from two points on the Punjab-Haryana border after the failure of four rounds of talks with the Centre over a legal guarantee on minimum support price for crops.
Though the farmers are still over 200 km from the national capital, Delhi Police on Tuesday conducted drills to ensure that its heavily barricaded entry points are not breached. Thousands of farmers, who began the march to Delhi on February 13, were stopped at the Haryana border itself, where they clashed with security personnel. The farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri points on Punjab's border with Haryana since then.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday orally asked the Punjab government not to allow the farmers to gather in large numbers. The court observed that tractor-trolleys cannot be run on highways according to the Motor Vehicles Act and said the farmers can go to Delhi by bus or using public transport.
Communication between Haryana, Punjab DGPs
Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapoor, in an urgent communication to his Punjab counterpart Gaurav Yadav, asked Punjab Police to seize all bulldozers and earthmoving equipment acquired by farmers camping at the two border points to damage barricades. He said such equipment may pose a threat to security forces and the owners of such equipment should be strictly warned against providing them to the protesting farmers as it would amount to a criminal act.
"It is reliably learnt that heavy earthmoving equipment including proclain (digger), JCB etc., that have been further modified/armour-plated have been acquired by protesting farmers and have been deployed at the border locations where the protesters are camping right now."
These machines are meant to be used by the protesters to damage the barricades thereby posing serious danger to the police and paramilitary forces deployed on duty and is likely to compromise the security scenario in Haryana," Kapoor said in his communication.
The last round of talks between farmers and the government ended past midnight on Sunday when a panel of ministers proposed buying five crops-moong dal, urad dal, tur dal, maize and cotton- from farmers at minimum support price for five years through central agencies.
The protest leaders have formally rejected the offer with Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal saying on Tuesday that it was not in the farmers' interest. On the eve of resumption of the 'Delhi Chalo' march, Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said the Centre should convene a day-long Parliament session to bring a legislation on the MSP for crops. The Kisan Mazdoor Morcha is spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' agitation along with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political).
Farmer leaders taking part in agitation on Monday rejected the Centre's proposal of procuring pulses, maize and cotton at MSP by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in farmers' interest and announced that they will march towards the national capital on Wednesday.
In the fourth round of talks with farmer leaders, a panel of three Union ministers on Sunday proposed buying of pulses, maize and cotton crops by government agencies at minimum support prices (MSP) for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers.
Besides a legal guarantee of MSP, the farmers are demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and justice for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.
(With agencies inputs)
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