Police Set Up Barricades, Not Us: Protesting Farmers at Tikri

The Delhi Police may have begun removing barricades from the Tikri border, but farmers stationed at the protest site say they have no role in the blockade as it was the same police that had set these barricades up in January this year.

"We don't have anything to do with the barricades. We had neither asked them to place nor remove the barricades. We don't have any objection," said Bhinder Singh, a farmer from Haryana.

Following a tractor rally organised by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha on 26 January that had turned violent, the Delhi Police had erected concrete walls and cemented spikes on the road to prevent farmers from moving into Delhi.

Although the sealing of roads generated much criticism, the barricades remained in place, blocking traffic movement. On Friday, 29 October, several barricades were removed, but the last layer of concrete was kept intact.

Hearing a plea seeking removal of blockades, the Supreme Court had, on 21 October, noted that “Farmers have the right to protest but they cannot keep roads blocked indefinitely."

In response, senior advocate Dushyant Dave – representing farmers' association – argued that the police had blocked the road, as "it suits them to allow a feeling that farmers are blocking the road. Let us come to Ramlila Maidan".

While the police has started removing barricades, several protesters said that they won't go back home till the laws are repealed.

"We have constructed semi-permanent homes in between and kept the roads open on both sides. We will sit here till 2024 if it comes to that."

Manpreet, 25

Pointing out that talks between farmers and the government have come to a standstill, Jaswinder Singh added, "What will we do back home if we don't have a guarantee for MSP?"

The Union government has offered to give written assurance on MSP but farmers have remained firm on their demand of giving MSP a legal status, while calling for the complete abolition of the three farm laws.