'AT HR-LD-YOUTH CONG-RALLY Police use water cannon in Panipat to stop Youth Cong's 'tractor rally' to Delhi

The Haryana police on Wednesday used a water cannon in Panipat's Samalkha village to stop a state Youth Congress-led tractor rally from proceeding to Delhi to protest against Centre's farm bills.

The Haryana police on Wednesday used a water cannon in Panipat's Samalkha village to stop a state Youth Congress-led tractor rally from proceeding to Delhi to protest against Centre's farm bills. The protesters started the rally from Samalkha and were to travel to Delhi, about 90 km away.

Haryana Congress MLA from Samalkha, Dharam Singh Chhoker, Israna MLA Balbir Balmiki, Indian Youth Congress president Srinivas B V and state Youth Congress chief Sachin Kundu were also part of the rally which was stopped by the police at a barricade in Panipat district. All the four leaders besides some Youth Congress workers were later taken into preventive custody before being released after some time, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters), Panipat, Satish Kumar, said.

Earlier, when the “Kisan Aakrosh tractor rally” which started from Anaj Mandi in Samalkha reached the police barricade on the Panipat-Delhi national highway, some workers tried to cross the barricade after which police used a water cannon to disperse them. “They did not have permission to move to Delhi. Restrictions are in place due to coronavirus pandemic, that is why they were stopped,” the DSP said.

The rally, in which, youth Congress leaders claimed, many farmers were also participating, was to proceed from Panipat to Delhi, where they were to gherao the Parliament, to register their protest against the farm bills, which they dubbed as anti-farmer. The rally also disrupted normal traffic on the national highway for some time.

“They cannot suppress the voice of farmers by using force. We will continue to raise the voice of farmers,” Chhoker told reporters in Samalkha. Srinivas B V while commenting on the use of water cannon by the police, said, “This is how the Modi and Khattar governments treat those who seek protection of farmers rights.” He also said the “black laws” are aimed at making “farmers slave of the corporates”.

“We stand in solidarity with our farmers. We will continue to raise our voice against these anti-farmer bills,” said Sachin Kundu. Earlier on Sunday, the Haryana police had used a water cannon to stop Punjab Youth Congress workers from entering the Ambala district and travelling ahead to Delhi as part of their tractor rally against the farm bills.

Srinivas B V and Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar had also taken part in that tractor rally. The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were passed by both Houses of Parliament, amid protests by opposition parties, including the Congress, TMC, DMK and the Left, besides some farmers' groups.

The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, was passed in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday..