AMBALA: Police used water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse protesting farmers headed to Delhi as they tried to break through police barricades at Sadopur border in Ambala.
The farmers were seen resisting the police, trying to break and drag the barricades at the Sadopur border following which police had to use water cannons and tear gas shells to control the crowd.
Police, earlier, had to use water gas to disperse the crowd of angry farmers pelted stones at security forces deployed to control the crowd at the Shambhu border.
Farmers have given a call for "Delhi Chalo" protest march, to coincide with the Constitution Day celebrations, against new farm laws. While the government says the three laws will do away with middlemen, enabling farmers to sell their produce in the commercial markets, protestors fear that this could lead to the government not buying produce at guaranteed prices, thereby disrupting their timely payments.
Farmers also gathered in Haryana's Karnal to protest against farm laws near the Karna Lake area.
In view of farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' protest march, heavy security has been deployed at Rohtak-Jhajjar border, Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border), Delhi-Gurugram and Delhi-Jammu highway near Karna Lake in Karnal.
Earlier in the day, Delhi-Jammu Highway saw heavy traffic jam due to a strike called by farmers.
Forces from at least two police stations, besides three Central Reserve Police Force battalions, have been deployed at the Delhi-Faridabad border.
Barricading has been done at four to five places on the Delhi-Faridabad border and drone cameras are also being used for security surveillance.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has come out in support of Punjab farmers and their protest against the Centre's recently passed farm laws, saying that peaceful protest was a Constitutional right and the use of water cannons against them was a crime.
On the other hand, strongly condemning Haryana's "forcible" attempts to stop farmers from marching to Delhi in protest against the Farm Laws, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh warned the BJP-led government against pushing them to the brink.
The Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were passed by the Upper House in September through voice vote despite objection from opposition parties.