Singhu, Tikri borders still shut, farmers reluctant to go to Burari

New Delhi, Nov 28 (IANS): Traffic movement on both sides at Singhu and Tikri continued to be disrupted for the second day on Saturday as farmers planning to hold protest in Delhi rallied at these interstate borders and were reluctant to move to Burari where they were allowed to move in.

Delhi Traffic Police diverted traffic from Mukarba Chowk and GTK Road to prevent inconvenience to commuters due to rallying farmers, who have been travelling towards Delhi in buses, trucks and tractor-trolleys.

The farmers who had gathered on the Delhi borders were allowed only to move towards Burari ground, that too escorted by police. However, a large number of protesters at Singhu and Tikri asserted that they wished to go either to the Ramlila Maidan or Jantar Mantar in central Delhi to protest.

Police officers were meanwhile trying to convince farmers to proceed to the Burari ground but the farmers seemed adamant, fearing that camping at the Burari ground would weaken their agitation against the three central farm laws.

Meanwhile, a section of Delhi-bound farmers who had gone to the Nirankari ground in north Delhi’s Burari later returned, saying that “it is a strategy to confine us”.

“The police are not letting our tractor-trolleys to come out once we enter the ground. We don’t want to go there now. We will lay a siege at the border entry/exit point only. We won’t go to Burari,” said a protesting farmer.

Meanwhile, arrangement of water and other necessities were made for farmers to camp at Burari ground on Friday evening.

Senior police officers were supervising the protest site at Burari even as a constant vigil was on at Singhu and Tikri borders.