PremiumThe Union leaders leading the agitation of the farmers to repeal the new farm laws have decided to intensify their agitation.
The union leaders will sit on hunger strike on December 14 and also vowed to keep protest against new farm laws peaceful.
Farmer union leaders will also sit on a hunger strike between 8 am and 5 pm at the Singhu Border during the nationwide protest on December 14 against the new agriculture laws, Kamal Preet Singh Pannu said.
Kamal Preet Singh Pannu, Leader, Sanyukta Kisan Andolan said,"We'll foil any attempt by the Centre to fail our movement. Govt had made a few small attempts to divide us and instigate people of our movement. But, we will peacefully take this movement towards victory".
"Thousands of farmers will begin a tractor march tomorrow at 11 am from Shahjahanpur in Rajasthan and will block Jaipur-Delhi main road. After our nationwide call, all toll plazas of Haryana are free today", Kamal Preet Singh Pannu added.
Pannu alleged the government tried to weaken their agitation, but that the protesting farmers did not let that happen. The farmer leader vowed to keep the protest peaceful.
"The government tried to weaken our agitation by dividing us (various farmer unions). I want to say that the ongoing agitation is fully under control of 32 farmer unions. We will fail every government attempt to divide us," Pannu also said.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police today increased deployment of personnel and placed more concrete barriers at various border points as farmers have announced that they will intensify their protest against the Centre's new agri laws, with plans to block the Delhi-Jaipur highway and the Yumuna Expressway.
There is no protest yet on Delhi's borders with Gurgaon and at other points of National Highway-8 that connects the national capital with Jaipur, a senior police officer said.
"So far, there is no protest at Delhi-Gurgaon border. There is no disruption in traffic movement. However, we have proper security arrangements in place to deal with any situation," the officer said.
Taking to Twitter, social activist Yogendra Yadav, who is part of the ongoing protests, said farmers from areas in Rajasthan and Haryana are assembling on Saturday and their 'Delhi Chalo' march would begin on Sunday.
"Farmers' 'Delhi march' on Jaipur-Delhi highway will not start today and it will begin from Shahjahanpur border tomorrow. Today, farmers from Rajasthan and Haryana will congregate in Kotputli and Behror," Yadav tweeted in Hindi.
The increase in security arrangement comes amid thousands of farmers protesting at various areas on Delhi’s borders for the last 16 days and demanding that the legislations be withdrawn.
The police have made adequate arrangements and these include multi-layered barricading and deployment of personnel. Measures have also been taken to ensure commuters do not face inconvenience at places were protest are being staged, another senior police officer said.
The Delhi Traffic Police has deployed its personnel across important border points to ensure commuters do not face difficulties and is constantly updating people about open and closed routes on its Twitter handle.
The developments come after farmer leaders on Wednesday rejected a government proposal to amend the new agri laws and announced they would intensify their agitation by blocking the Jaipur-Delhi and the Yamuna expressway by Saturday.
In a tweet, the traffic police on Saturday informed commuters about the closure of the Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari and Mangesh borders.
Since these borders are closed, it suggested that motorists take alternative routes via Lampur, Safiabad,Saboli and Singhu School toll tax borders.
Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba and GTK Road. So, commuters have been advised to avoid Outer Ring Road, GTK Road and National Highway-44, the traffic police said.
Due to the ongoing farmers' protests, it said that both the Chilla and the Ghazipur borders are also closed for traffic from Noida and Ghaziabad.
"The Chilla & Ghazipur borders are closed for traffic from Noida & Ghaziabad to Delhi due to farmers protests.People are advised to take alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anad Vihar, DND, Apsara & bhopra borders," it tweeted.
The Tikri and the Dhansa borders are also closed for traffic movement but the Jhatikara border is open only for two wheelers and pedestrian movement, the traffic police said in a tweet.
Those going towards Haryana, can take Jharoda (only single carriageway), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH 8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera borders as they are open, the traffic police said.
The government had asked farmer groups to consider its proposals for amending the laws to address their concerns and said it was open to discussing its offer further whenever the unions want.
Farmers leaders on Thursday also announced they would block railway tracks across the country if their demands were not met by the government and would announce a date for that soon.
At least five rounds of formal talks have taken place between the Centre and representatives of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, protesting on various borders of the national capital for over two weeks, but the deadlock has continued with the unions sticking to their main demand for the repeal of the three contentious laws.
The sixth round of talks between the government and farm union leaders, which was scheduled for Wednesday morning, was cancelled.
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