New Delhi: Security agencies deputed to maintain law and order along Delhi’s border with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been put on high alert following intelligence inputs that Khalistani sympathisers may try to create disturbance by taking advantage of the farmers' agitation.
“Yes, a high alert has been sounded across Delhi’s border with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. There are all possibilities that Khalistani sympathisers may try to create anarchy and attack security forces. Khalistani elements may try to infiltrate farmers’ protest,” a senior official quoting an intelligence report told ETV Bharat on Tuesday.
The involvement of Khalistani activists came to the fore during the 2020-21 agitation of farmers. Besides infiltrating into the farmers’ protest, the SFJ activists and sympathisers were also involved in the Red Fort violence on Republic Day in 2021.
Sikh For Justice (SFJ) Chief and Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in the video, circulated on social media on Tuesday found instigating the agitating farmers and asking the people to raise the Khalistani flags at the farmers’ rally. He reportedly stated in the video that the Central government has done nothing for farmers. “Don’t march for Delhi, you should make your claim over Delhi,” said Pannun in his prompting video message.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Rishipal Singh Balian, a senior police officer deputed along the Delhi-Ghazipur border, said that they are using drones to keep a close watch on the agitation. “There are possibilities that anti-social elements taking advantage of the agitation might try to create turmoil,” said Balian.
As protesting farmers tried to enter the national capital from Haryana, the police fired tear gas to disperse them at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border. Farmers' Organisations leading Tuesday’s Delhi chalo programme have been demanding Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, pension to farmers and withdrawal of police cases registered against farmers, who took part in the 2022-21 agitation among others.
Responding to the farmers' agitation, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Hannan Mollah distanced the organisation from the Delhi chalo programme of several farmers' organisations. He clarified that SKM had not given the call to Delhi Chalo on February 13 and SKM had nothing to do with this protest action.
“However, organisations other than SKM have the right to protest and it is the responsibility of the Union government to treat such protests democratically instead of adhering to excessive state repression,” he said.
Mollah expressed his strong discontent against how the Central government is handling protests of the farmers by erecting iron nails, barbed wires and concrete barricades on the Highways in Punjab and Delhi borders.
“The administration has imposed Section 144 in and around Delhi and Haryana diverting the traffic without any prior advisory to the public and creating an atmosphere of terror to frighten the people. The Modi government is treating protesters as enemies of the country,” he said.
Mollah added that SKM has called for a Grameen Bandh and industrial, sectoral strike call on February 16. “We appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify why his government is not ready for discussion with the platforms of farmers and workers in the context of the countrywide Grameen Bandh and industrial and sectoral strike call on February 16 on the demands of people’s livelihood,” he said.
The SKM has called the Grameen bandh against the privatisation and sale of public sector units as well as the casualisation of labour. “We demand no privatisation of railways, airports, seaports, national highways, defence, electricity, banks, insurance, mines and forest,” said Mollah.
Read more: Farmers Protest 2.0: Why Are The 'Annadatas' Back On Streets? - In 10 Points
