Tear Gas, Water Cannons And Barbed Wires: Here's What The Day 1 Of The Farmers' Protest Looked Like

As protesting farmers began their march from Punjab to Delhi on Tuesday (13 February), they faced concrete barriers, barbed wires and nails which were strategically placed along the Punjab-Haryana border to impede their progress.

However, despite these obstacles, around 200 farmer unions, representing approximately 1 lakh farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh went on with the journey to the national capital as part of their 'Delhi Chalo' call.

The situation turned volatile as clashes erupted between the protesters and security forces.

Tear gas shells and water cannons were deployed against the farmers, who retaliated by throwing stones.

Visuals from the Shambhu border depicted chaotic scenes, with smoke engulfing the area and protesters scrambling amidst the chaos.

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In preparation for the protest, police in Haryana and Punjab had fortified highways with concrete slabs and heavy barricades to prevent farmers and their tractors from advancing.

Similar security measures were observed in Delhi, where key border crossings were sealed, leading to traffic congestion.

Although the government engaged in discussions with farmer representatives, including an agreement to repeal the Electricity Act 2020 and provide compensation for farmers killed in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri, key issues such as the enactment of minimum support price legislation and farmer loan waivers remained unresolved.

Meanwhile, leaders like Rakesh Tikait lent their support to the farmers' cause and warned against any interference with their march.

"There are several farmer unions and they have different issues... If the government creates a problem for farmers marching to Delhi, we are not far from them. We are in support of them..." he told reporters.

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