Farmers take control of toll plazas, no levy for 72 hours

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Mohali, February 20

The protesting farmers blocked a number of toll plazas in the district — at Dappar, Bhago Majra, Kharar-Khamano Baroudi, Azizpur, and other places — and rendered them free for commuters today. This, farmer leaders said, was done to protest the Central Government’s refusal to legally ensure the MSP for all crops, among other issues. They said the commuters could travel toll-free on several roads for the next 72 hours.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) staged a protest at the Dappar toll, and members of the SKM demonstrated at the Bhago Majra toll. The protesting union members demonstrated their support for the SKM at the Shambhu border and criticised the Central and state governments for the use of “excessive” on the protesting farmers. Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) president Karam Singh said their union would stage a demonstration at the plaza for the next three days and would keep it free for commuters.

He said, “We condemn the use of excessive force on peaceful farmers. The use of tear gas on farmers and putting iron spikes on roads to deter farmers from staging a protest in Delhi is wrong. Different farmer organisations are protesting in different ways. One is halting trains, another is facing cops, while we are rendering toll plazas free for commuters. The mode of protest may be different for different organisations, but the aim is the same — the implementation of decisions regarding the demands already conceded by the Central Government.”

Leaders of farmer unions said the protests would continue until all the demands, including the implementation of MSP, were met by the Central Government.

A toll plaza employee said if the stalemate persists for long, the firm and the government would be left with two options — increase the toll rates next year, or increase the duration of the toll period.