The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation announced on Tuesday that multiple gates may be closed due to security instructions amidst the farmer’s march towards the National Capital. According to the Delhi Metro, the potentially closed gates include the Central Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk, Udyog Bhawan, Patel Chowk, Mandi House, Barakhamba Road, Janpath, Khan Market, and Lok Kalyan Marg.
In a post on X, the DMRC stated, “Service Update: A few gates may be closed at the following stations as per security instructions. However, stations are operational.”
Earlier in the day, the AAP-led Delhi government backed the farmer protests, stating that it could not give consent to turn the Bawana stadium into a jail to prevent farmers from marching to Delhi.
The AAP criticised the Union Government, claiming it to be anti-farmer and accusing it of going all out to prevent peaceful protests.
In a post on X, the AAP stated, “These nails and barricades are the biggest proof of Modi’s hatred for the country’s food providers—Annadata farmers who grow crops on the land to feed the country. Modi has laid a network of nails on the way to stop the farmers.”
Meanwhile, the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border witnessed chaotic scenes on Tuesday as protesting farmers marching towards Delhi attempted to break police barricades.
Farmers were seen trying to remove the cement barricade with their tractors as they sought to cross the Shambhu border. Police fired tear gas to disperse the protestors, who were attempting to breach the multi-layered barricades.
Concrete slabs, iron nails, barricades, barbed wires, police, and paramilitary personnel have been deployed at Kurukshetra in Haryana in view of the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march by the farmers. “Delhi Chalo” is a call for a protest march towards Delhi, primarily by farmers, demanding a law ensuring the minimum support price for their agricultural produce and a debt waiver.
These protests come just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, due in May-April this year.
