Over 2,000 women likely to join ongoing protest at Singhu border in coming days
New Delhi, Dec 15: The protest against the Centre's new farm laws looks set to intensify further as more farmers are expected to join the ongoing agitation at Delhi's border points to press for their demands.
Over 2,000 women from the families of those protesting at the Singhu border here are likely to join the demonstration in the coming days.
Farmer leaders said they were making arrangements for the women coming from different parts of Punjab. Tents are being put up, a separate langar is being planned, and extra temporary toilets are being arranged, they added.
With farmers from different states camping at Delhi's Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur border points for over two weeks to demand a repeal of the farm laws enacted in September, several roads have been closed, and commuters advised to take alternative routes to avoid inconvenience.
Police said Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Sabholi and Mangesh borders were closed, and commuters have been advised to take alternative routes via Lampur, Safiabad and Singhu school toll tax borders while traffic has been diverted from Mukarba and GTK road.
Outer Ring Road, GTK road and NH-44 can be avoided, they said.
The Ghazipur border also remains closed for traffic coming from Ghaziabad to Delhi due to the protest. Commuters have been advised to take other routes via Anand Vihar, DND, Chilla, Apsara and Bhopra borders.
Multi-layered cemented barriers, additional police force and barbed wires formed the first layer of security at the Singhu border protest site.
The second layer of barricades deployed by the Delhi Police is being guarded by a team of Rapid Action Force along with personnel from the paramilitary forces.
Water cannons, trucks, containers and iron barricades have also been deployed.
On Monday, leaders of around 32 farmer unions observed a day-long hunger strike at the Singhu border as part of the protest.
Agitating farmers have expressed apprehension that the new agri marketing laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporations.
The government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.
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Two held for 'firing' at BJP leader's house in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day before the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections, two persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly being involved in a firing incident outside the residence of a BJP leader in North 24 Parganas district, police said.
BJP leader Kundan Singh lodged a police complaint, alleging that a few gunmen fired at his house in the Noapara constituency around Saturday midnight.
Based on the CCTV footage, the two accused were apprehended, a senior officer said.
BJP's Noapara candidate Arjun Singh, in a post on social media, claimed that around 12.05 am, two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at the residence of Kundan Singh, a BJP functionary and secretary of the Barrackpore organisational district, with an "intent to kill him".
According to the BJP leader, the accused are residents of Garulia and are known criminals.
Their names as offenders had been submitted to the Election Commission, he said.
The police officer did not specify whether the two arrested persons were the same individuals named by Arjun Singh.
According to the complaint, one round of firing took place outside Kundan Singh's house, triggering panic in the area.
The BJP candidate also questioned the role of the police, claiming that one of the accused had been detained by the police on the polling day but was later released in the evening.
The Noapara assembly seat went to the polls on April 29.
Several BJP leaders alleged that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the counting and weaken the organisation of the opposition parties.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. Polling for the West Bengal assembly elections was held on April 23 and April 29.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately to ensure peaceful counting.
TMC candidate Somnath Shyam rubbished Arjun Singh’s allegation, claiming that the BJP nominee had orchestrated the firing incident to divert attention from imminent defeat.
“Arjun Singh knows all the gangsters in the Barrackpore belt. Everyone knows about his links with the underworld. Let the police investigate the incident,” Shyam said.
