JAIPUR: The farmers' movement has intensified on the Shahjahanpur-Kheda border of Alwar district in Rajasthan. In view of the increasing number of agitators and the possibility of farmers marching to Delhi, the Haryana police closed the second lane of Jaipur-Delhi highway at 2 pm on Friday.
Farmers have been protesting on the highway at Shahjahanpur border since 12th December. However, till now only the lane from Jaipur-Delhi was closed for the last 13 days. On Friday afternoon, Haryana Police also closed the Delhi-Jaipur lane of the highway by barricading it. The vehicles were diverted towards Bawal. At the moment, both the lanes of the highway are closed.
The farmers are sitting on Jaipur-Delhi lane covering an area of around two kilometres. Farmers have put their tents and vehicles are parked on the highway. A large number of farmers have reached the border from Maharastra on Friday.
Meanwhile, farmers are now standing on the road on both sides, making it impossible for any vehicle to move to and fro on the Jaipur- Delhi Highway. Many farmers have come from Alwar and announced their decision to march towards Delhi, following which the Haryana government has put up barriers on their side of the border. National President of Kisan Mahapanchayat, Rampal Jat, said that the government has deliberately closed the second lane of the highway.
Earlier, NDA ally MP Hanuman Beniwal had threatened to break ties with BJP and march to Shahjahanpur- Kheda along with two lakh farmers on 26th December. There is a possibility that on Saturday he will arrive at the border with a large number of farmers.
There are more than 1500 police and armed forces personnel stationed at the Shahjahanpur border to Haryana. On Friday, Rajya Sabha MP, Bhupendra Yadav , did an open meeting with farmers on Kishangarhbas Road in Khairthal.