One year of farmers’ protest: Delhi police detain Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur

Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal, Lok Sabha MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and several other party members were detained in Delhi on Friday (September 17) during a ‘black Friday’ protest march to mark one year of nationwide protests against the Centre’s three contentious farm laws.

Since morning, Akali Dal party workers, accompanied by farmers, started gathering at Delhi’s borders. The Delhi police had put barricades on roads to stop them from entering the national capital.

Sukhbir Singh Badal told media persons that the Central and Haryana governments tried to stop his party workers from entering Delhi. “They resorted to baton charge and broke our vehicles. A peaceful protest was stopped. We’ve come here to give a message to PM Modi that not only Punjab but the entire country is against his government,” Badal said.

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Former Cabinet minister and Akali MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal tweeted: “Strongly condemn Delhi police for sealing entry points to national capital & detaining Akali Dal workers reaching Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib. Receiving phone calls & videos telling how Police trying to foil protest march to Parl against 3 Farm Laws. It’s an undeclared emergency.”

Harsimrat Kaur further said, “A number of farmers have died and many are still sitting at the state borders but this government (Centre) is indifferent. We will continue our fight until the three farm laws are repealed.”

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Meanwhile, Delhi police confirmed that the leaders of Shiromani Akali Dal have been detained and were taken to Sansad Marg Police Station. The police said they were detained for taking out a protest march in the national capital on the completion of one year of Centre’s three farm laws.

Traffic jams were reported in areas like Lutyens’ Delhi and ITO due to the protest march. Vehicular movement was also hit at Jhandewalan-Panchkuian road. Barricades were put in at several locations.