‘Delhi Chalo’: Rahul, Kejriwal Condemn Police Force on Farmers

The Quint
·6-min read

Amid tight security on Thursday, 26 November, over two lakh farmers and members of trade unions from Punjab, Kerala, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have called for "Delhi Chalo" – a two-day march to protest against the three contentious farm laws passed by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre in September.

Permissions to hold the protests were denied by the Centre, citing concerns over COVID-19, putting both protesters and policemen at risk. However, there was tightening of security at borders and Section 144 of CrPc was imposed in anticipation of protests.

Upon commencement of the protest, the police resorted to using tear gas and water cannons to disperse the group gathered at the border.

Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Amarinder Singh, Yogendra Yadav, and others have taken to twitter to criticise the harsh treatment of farmers, especially in the cold weather. Kejriwal and other leaders also pointed out that it was ironic to curb dissent on Constitution Day.

Also Read: Water Cannon, Tear Gas: Punjab Farmers Face Cops at Haryana Border

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stated that holding peaceful demonstrations is a constitutional right.

"Instead of withdrawing the farm bills (now laws), farmers are being prevented from holding peaceful demonstration, water cannon being used on them. Holding peaceful demonstration is a constitutional right," tweeted Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

Kejriwal’s party AAP tweeted that the BJP has been blinded by capitalism and is unable to see the plight of farmers. They also said, “When the farmers are coming to Delhi to express their pain, the BJP government is resorting to tear gas and water splashes to suppress the voice of the farmers.”

In another tweet, the party accused the BJP saying, “The arrogant BJP government, steeped in the love of the bourgeoisie, continues to persecute those farmers who starve themselves and feed the entire nation.”

Also Read: Farmers’ Talks With Centre Constructive: Punjab CM Amarinder Singh

Rahul Gandhi said that the country’s farmers have stood firmly in dissent “against the brutality of the Modi government.”

"Instead of listening to the voice of the farmers who are protesting against the laws, that snatched the support price from them, the BJP government uses water cannon to disperse them in cold weather. Everything is being taken away from the farmers while the capitalists are being given banks, airport, railway stations and loan waiver," tweeted Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday.

Taking a jibe at the BJP for attacking protesters on Constitution Day, Congress tweeted a video of the Constitution and the power of democracy.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh questioned the Haryana government for resorting to force and asked “don’t farmers have the right to pass peacefully through public highway.” The Punjab CM also said that it’s a “sad irony” that on Constitution Day, the constitutional right of farmers is being oppressed in this manner.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) also tweeted against the police aggression on farmers through tear gas and water cannons and condemned it.

Health Minister of Chhattisgarh, TS Singh Deo, has also criticised the BJP government and the draconian farm laws.

Political activist and Swaraj India National President Yogendra Yadav was detained on his way to Delhi. He posted on Twitter that what was happening today was unconstitutional and democracy will prevail."

Also Read: Farmers’ Protests: Yogendra Yadav Detained for ‘Breach of Peace’

Youth For Swaraj, in a sarcastic attack on the Haryana government, tweeted saying, “Welcome to Haryana! Here you are greeted with lathis and showered with water cannons. In order to make the farmers’ journey comfortable, the Haryana Police is going to arrest you and put you behind bars.”

Lawyer and activist, Prashant Bhushan tweeted saying, “On Constitution day, when farmers are battered for merely coming to Delhi to protest, when peaceful protesters against unconstitutional CAA are being jailed, when SC is not coming to rescue those whose fundamental rights are trampled, we need to stand up to reclaim our Republic.”

In another tweet, he said that large political rallies were allowed, but the farmers were not allowed to protest. He alleged that the prevention of the protest using COVID-19 is just an excuse by the BJP government.

. Read more on India by The Quint.Sunday View: The Best Weekend Opinion Reads, Curated Just For You‘Delhi Chalo’: Rahul, Kejriwal Condemn Police Force on Farmers . Read more on India by The Quint.

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    AriesYou have a positive attitude towards your work and keep pushing forward in any and every circumstance, till you reach your goal. You love your work and manage to handle tough decisions sensibly. Today, the Moon in Cancer will promote a feeling of contentment in you, about a job well done. Maybe, this would not have been possible without the support of your elders. They motivated and inspired you to handle the project sensibly. You had been struggling with it for quite some time now, but being a committed and confident Aries, you kept working at the various possibilities to reach the goal successfully. Orange will prove to be your lucky color. Schedule or conduct anything important between the time frame of 11:00 am and 12:15 pm as this period is auspicious for you.TaurusLately, you may be having a laid-back attitude and may not be ambitious enough in your work or studies. The Moon in Cancer, will pull you out of that state of limbo and remind you that success will remain a dream if you don`t work for it. You will be determined today to prove your calibre at work by getting down to the unfinished task. Student Taurus will sit up and take notice of the remaining studies .You are capable of achieving more than you think is possible, so it would be a shame to dawdle and let success go past you. Wearing light green will attract positive vibes and good luck. any important assignment or activity should be conducted between 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm.GeminiSometimes it becomes difficult for you to ‘worry’ in silence and many times that stress converts into anger and you can just explode at any small trigger. Today, the Moon in Cancer may make you feel targeted on the home front and that will make you yell and argue aggressively. You may get into confrontation with a father figure and unnecessarily be drawn into a futile argument. Don’t take the bait, Gemini. Just walk away from the situation, take a deep breath, reflect upon the state of affairs and think of a logical solution, after your nerves are calmed. No one gains anything by going off their handle. Wear white for peace and good luck. 2 pm to 4 pm will be a good time to get all pending work done and out of your to do list.CancerThe Moon in Cancer today, will stir your creative juices and give you some out of the box ideas. Being a Water Sign, you are blessed with emotion and a huge imagination, which you use many times to fuel the creativity in you. Some of you will use it to better your music, some for art, some for dancing while others for writing. This gives you immense peace at heart and works as a beautiful companion for the lonesome. You have the capacity to liven up any dull atmosphere with your wonderful ideas and make mundane desk work, look interesting. Emerald green is your lucky color for today. It is recommended that you plan anything important between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm for optimal results.These are general horoscope predictions based on the sun signs. For a more personalised prediction based on your birth chart, speak to India's renowned astrologers only at Astroyogi.com. Click here to proceed.LeoWhile you believe in giving loyalty, you also expect the same from others. You can feel terribly cheated if you are duped by someone you trusted.The Moon in Cancer will dampen your normally positive outlook on life as you may feel insecure about some partnership. Maybe someone is taking away the accolades that were due to you. A Leo does not care so much for the money as they would for the name that can be made from it. Some of you may have been living well beyond your means as you believe in living life to the fullest. But today, it may dawn on you that your personal finances, in the process, have taken a beating. Wear sapphire blue to channel good luck and the time between 2:00 pm and 3:30 pm is envisioned to yield you positive results.VirgoIt is not like you to promise something and not follow it up.You function on a solid foundation of determination and self-discipline. But once in a while it is ok to let your hair down a bit. The Moon in Cancer will make you more considerate and compassionate towards your fellow workers today and you will appreciate their work without being picky about every small point. Some of you will be more tolerant to the faults of your family and loved ones, much to their delight. You can be so much fun when you are not being a fuss-pot about details. You will delight your family and co-workers today. Maroon is your lucky color for today and embark on all your important activities between 10:30 am and 11:45 am for success.LibraHigh moral values make your foundation of character and your decisions and actions are all based on positivity, honesty and fairness. Since you are such a practical person; materialistic living is not your forte. But today, the Moon in Cancer will make you want to dip into your coffer and splurge a bit. Ruled by the planet, Venus, it is natural for you to be in love with beautiful things, but the Libra in you, perpetually keeps a restraining hand on your budget, reminding you to keep enough stashed away for a rainy day. While this is an excellent habit, Libra, it is also perfectly fine to pamper yourself once in a while.ScorpioToday could just be the day you decide to take that much needed vacation. While you are not one who likes travelling impromptu, you may sit down to plan a structured travel plan. The Moon in Cancer would tempt you to rope in the family so that you get to spend some quality time with them too. Just remember Scorpio, that if you go with the family, your plan has to accommodate their needs also. 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