Farmers block roads across India for 3 hrs to protest against new agri laws

Eastern Peripheral Expressway around Delhi and Pathankot Jammu Highway were among the highways blocked in the country.

Delhi remained under high alert, covered under security blanket with around 50,000 police, paramilitary, and reserve forces personnel deployed in the Delhi-NCR region.

As a security measure,  eight metro stations were shut since morning, reports said.

Riot control vehicle Vajra and a water cannon vehicle were deployed at Delhi's ITO, where major violence broke out on the Republic Day when a group of farmers tried to force their way to the Red Fort.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan)  secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said roads were blocked in 33 districts across 15 districts of Punjab. Sangrur, Barnala, Bathinda, Jind and Hisar were among the cities where roads were blocked.

There will be no blockades in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand tomorrow as the farmers there may be asked to come to Delhi suddenly, said Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait. Roads in Delhi and rest of the country will be blocked, he added.

Reiterating their stand again on Saturday, farmers said they will not withdraw their protest till the three new farm laws are withdrawn.

In Bengaluru, 30 people were taken into preventive custody, said an NDTV report.

The nationwide 'Chakka Jam' programme was supported by Congress. "The peaceful satyagraha of the 'annadatas' is in the favour of the nation. The three farm laws are not only fatal for the farmers and the labourers but also against the people and the country," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote in a tweet today.