Security beefed up at Singhu border

New Delhi: Security has been further beefed up in the last couple of days at Singhu border, however, the agitating farmers remain firm on their demands.

Every protesting farmer at Singhu village gives almost the same reply, "We won't go back till the three anti-farmer laws are taken back".

Police barricades that were earlier put up at Singhu village, now have also appeared at Singhola village, which is around one-and-a-half km away from Singhu.

Singhu and Singhola, these two Jat-dominated villages of northeast Delhi are located either side of the road - (Delhi-Panipat highway) which is blocked since November 26 due to the farmers' protests. Scores of farmers from Haryana and Punjab have been protesting at Singhu against three the farm laws passed by Parliament.

These three laws are - The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

A group of farmers from various districts of Haryana sitting with their traditional hookahs in the middle raised their concerns that the new farm rules will end the mandi system and leave them dependent on corporate agents.

Mahar Singh Talwandi, an old farmer in the group said, "We are worried that the government will end the mandi system and will give free hands to big companies. The Mandi system helps us to take money in advance and the people associated with the system are also familiar with farmers' issues."