The Delhi Police started removing roadblocks placed at the Tikri border on Thursday night where farmers have been protesting against the Centre’s three farm laws, with sources indicating news agency PTI that one highway of the road will open in the coming days.
This move comes days after a Supreme Court hearing that saw farmer union bodies arguing that the Delhi police were responsible for the blockade at the national capital’s borders.
In November last year, the police had put many layers of barricades on the roads, complete with giant nails and huge concrete blocks as thousands of farmers tried to cross the borders . Out of the eight layers of barricades at the Delhi border, four ave been removed. However, the cement barricades are still there and the road remains closed for commuters, an officer was quoted as saying by PTI.
According to sources in the Delhi Police, such operation is expected to be launched even at Singhu and Ghazipur border points in the upcoming days.
Since 26 November 2020, thousands of farmers have been camping at the Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur border points protesting against the Centre’s three farm laws.
A senior police officer told PTI that some layers of barricades that were placed by the police have been removed.
“The arrangement at the Tikri border in terms of infrastructure has been reduced. Seven to eight layers of different types of barricades were placed earlier and we have removed some of them,” the officer said.
He added that it is done as a move to open the road for traffic soon. “At present, there is no traffic flow as the roads are closed. Barricades will be completely removed soon to slowly ease the flow of traffic,” the officer told news agency.
On October 21, the Top Court had said farmers protesting against the three farms laws have the right to agitate but they cannot block roads indefinitely even as the farmer unions and the Centre got involved in a blame game.
While the farmers’ unions alleged that the Delhi police were responsible for the blockade as it suits them to allow a feeling among citizens that farmers are blocking the road, the Central government said there was an oblique purpose behind the protests.
After the court hearing, the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) had said the barriers at the protest site have been put by the Delhi police and not farmers.
National spokesperson of the BKU, Rakesh Tikait said that protesters at Ghazipur have cleared the path on a service lane leading to Delhi but the Police’s barricades were still present there.
(Inputs from PTI)
