Farmers brave tear gas and water cannons, push into Haryana for Delhi March

Ambala: A major scuffle between the farmers and the police broke out at the Shambhu border on Thursday.

Angry farmers at Shambhu border, near Ambala, threw police barricades into the river, pelted stones, physically pushed vehicles and continued to protest as police tried to stop them from proceeding to Delhi.

The police used tear gas and water cannons on the farmers.

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, as a preventive measure, ordered to seal the border with Punjab on Thursday.

Haryana has sealed all the major entry points along the Punjab border and imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to arrest anyone assembling for the protests.

Meanwhile, at the Singhu border, the Delhi Police stationed trucks filled with sand to stop the movement of tractors driven by farmers said a police official.

Police also said that the border is not fully sealed but vehicles entering the capital are thoroughly checked.

Amidst tight security on Thursday, over two lakh farmers and members of trade unions from Punjab, Kerala, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have called for 'Delhi Chalo', a two-day march, to protest against three contentious farm laws passed in September by the Centre.

However, the Delhi government has denied permission for any rallies and massive security arrangements have been set up at the Delhi-Haryana border.

The Punjab CM questioned the Haryana government for resorting to using force to stop the farmers from passing, "Don't the farmers have the right to pass peacefully through public highway?"

CM Singh also pointed out the 'sad irony' of the situation where the constitutional rights of farmers were oppressed on Constitution Day.

Despite the use of water cannons and tear gas, the protesting farmers, comprising of men and women, both young and old- and school and college students riding tractor-trailers, cars and motorcycles managed to enter Haryana from Punjab.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "Instead of withdrawing the farm bills, farmers are being prevented from holding a peaceful demonstration, water cannon being used on them."

The farmers have come prepared for the long haul with ration, vegetables, wood, quilts and blankets for the march.

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