Farmers under the banner of BKU (Charuni) tried to block the Delhi-Ambala National Highway in Shahabad. They were pressing their demand for advanced procurement of their farm produce. The police had put up barricades to stop them. When the farmers tried to cross the barricades, the police used water cannon and tear gas.
Why Farmers Tried to Block the Delhi-Ambala Highway
The protest was about procurement. Farmers had been demanding timely procurement of their produce. To push this demand, they attempted to block the highway. The police had already placed barricades at the spot to prevent this.
The situation escalated when farmers attempted to cross the barricades. The police then used water cannon and tear gas to stop them. Some farmers managed to reach the highway, but they were removed.
Police Action and the Dharna at Barara Road
After the police action, the farmers started a dharna at the Barara Road. BKU (Charuni) Chief Gurnam Singh spoke about what happened.
"Farmers had been demanding timely procurement of their produce, but the police used water cannon and tear gas to stop them. Several farmers suffered injuries. We have decided to keep staging a dharna till the procurement..." — Gurnam Singh, BKU (Charuni) Chief
According to Gurnam Singh, several farmers suffered injuries in the police action. He also said the farmers have decided to keep staging a dharna till the procurement demand is met.
What This Means for Farmers and the Highway
The Delhi-Ambala National Highway is a key route, and blocking it affects regular movement. The farmers chose this spot to make their demand heard. The police chose to stop them with barricades first, and then with water cannon and tear gas.
- The core demand is advanced procurement of farm produce
- The protest was led by BKU (Charuni)
- Police used water cannon and tear gas after farmers tried to cross barricades
- Farmers who reached the highway were removed
- A dharna is now underway at Barara Road
Our Take: A Protest That Shows the Gap Between Demand and Response
In our view, this is a simple story with a clear problem. Farmers want procurement to happen on time. They tried to block a highway to force attention on that demand. The police used water cannon and tear gas to stop them. Both sides acted in ways that made the situation worse.
To put it plainly, blocking a national highway is not a small step. Farmers usually take such steps only when they feel their demand is not being heard. At the same time, the police are bound to keep the highway open. But water cannon and tear gas on farmers is a serious matter, especially when injuries are reported.
The bigger question is what happens next. The farmers have said they will keep staging a dharna till the procurement demand is met. That means the standoff is not over. For readers, the key point is this: the issue is not just about one highway block. It is about whether procurement of farm produce happens on time. Until that is addressed, protests like this one are likely to continue.