Thousands of farmers, some armed with sticks and swords, flung barricades into a river, threw bricks at cops and physically pushed vehicles as they were stopped by Haryana on their way to a protest march in Delhi. After a two-hour clash on a bridge in which teargas and water cannons were used, the farmers managed to cross the border into Haryana. Haryana, ruled by the BJP, has been using heavy force to try and block farmers making their way from Punjab towards the capital in tractors and on foot for their two-day “Delhi Chalo” protest march against new farm laws that they fear will reduce their earnings and give more power to large retailers. Amid massive protests, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar appealed to the farmers to suspend their agitation, and invited them for talks on December 3. “The government is committed to the welfare of farmers and we are ready for talks. Whether it’s about minimum support price or infrastructure, we are ready for discussion,” he said.
