The on-going massive protest led by as many as 50,000 farmers against the central government’s new farm laws, was subjected to extreme police brutality on Friday, November 27.
These photographs taken on November 27, 2020 People move away from tear gas released by the police to stop #farmers opposing the newly passed farm bills from entering the national capital Delhi, at Singhu border , New Delhi #FarmersDilliChalo#FarmersBill2020 #FarmersProtest pic.twitter.com/KID7umeQXb
— Rahul Singh (@Rahulphoto_) November 28, 2020
Farmers refuse to budge from Singhu border, say don’t trust police. : @IndiaToday#FarmersProtest #FarmLaws #Delhi #SinghuBorder Track updates: https://t.co/t88pf3Xd1g pic.twitter.com/LhAHfML0KT
— Fozail Farooquee (@fozailfarooquee) November 28, 2020
The Delhi Police resorted to barricading, use of tear gas and water cannons to hold back the protesting farmers from crossing the state border. The day progressed and clashes broke out in several parts of the border areas. Meanwhile, the ones gathered at the Singhu border, one of the main routes to access the city through Punjab, reportedly struggled for the entry till evening.
Later in the day, a stretch of the national highway at the Singhu border witnessed exhausted farmers camping on the road and turning the path into a kitchen, cooking dinner, to feed the protestors and those present at the site.
Haryana: Farmers from Punjab on the ‘Delhi Chalo’ movement, settle down at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana), planning for further action’We’ve got food rations for 6 months. We’ll go back after getting rid of the black agriculture laws which are against farmers,’ says a protester pic.twitter.com/dmesWlMdcH
— ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2020
The police personnel permitted them entry into the national capital, however, the farmers refused to move to Nirankari ground at Burari where they were asked to continue their protests. Some of the protesting farmers also claimed that they were waiting for others who were stuck in Haryana, according to News18.
A number of visual doing rounds on social media showed that the tractors driven by farmers were loaded with ration and several food items. In the evening, the farmers cooked different dishes, like parathas, daal and rajma-rice and served the food to protesters, passersby and anyone else asking for it.
One of the pictures that portrayed the protester’s empathy and concern was where a group of policemen stood for food which was being distributed by the farmers.
BJP Government & police treated farmers badly. Inreturn they offered food to policeman.Megalomaniacs who made them cry tears of blood should remember comeuppance awaits. Farmers will bring BJP Goverment to its knees pic.twitter.com/Q8RmPHsTyD
— Asma (@asmatasleem11) November 27, 2020
The protest has turned symbolic of farmers’ resolution and resilience. In a country, where slogans like ‘Jai Jawaan, Jai Kishan’ were made to instill a sense of enthusiasm and to celebrate the farming community, the extreme violence inflicted on the protesting farmers during the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march would be etched as a black spot.
Also Read: Farmers Protest: Boy Who Turned Off Water Cannon Charged With Attempt To Murder
