Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday engaged in a Twitter fight over farmers' "Delhi Chalo" march against the Centre's farm laws.
While Mr Singh slammed Mr Khattar for stopping farmers from moving towards the national capital, terming it as "totally undemocratic and unconstitutional", the latter told the Punjab chief minister to stop "inciting innocent farmers".
Mr Singh took to Twitter for lashing out at his counterpart in Haryana after farmers were stopped from entering the state to move towards Delhi.
After a two-hour clash on a narrow bridge near the border between Congress-ruled Punjab and Haryana, which saw thousands of farmers flung barricades into a river and throw bricks at cops and physically push vehicles, farmers managed to enter Haryana as they continued their ''Delhi Chalo'' march against the Centre's new farm laws.
Haryana, ruled by the BJP, has been using heavy force to try and block farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Kerala and Punjab making their way from Punjab towards Delhi 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.
Delhi's borders at Gurugram and Faridabad have been sealed and metro services have been affected.
Here are the live updates of farmers' protest march to Delhi:
Haryana: Farmers participating in 'Delhi Chalo' protest march, stay for the night at the toll at Panipat Highway.
- ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020
A farmer, Robindeep Singh says, "We are carrying food enough to last a month, we have stove & other kitchen items. We are also carrying blankets to brave the cold." pic.twitter.com/PDziTPH6jw
"We handled the situation with great restraint ensuring law and order is maintained," he told news agency PTI.
Haryana: Farmers heading towards Delhi as part of 'Delhi Chalo' protest march, halt at Panipat toll plaza.
- ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020
A protestor says, "Are we terrorists that we are not being allowed to enter the national capital. It is the death of democracy." pic.twitter.com/sYnM6Ffk8l
Air India has said passengers affected due to traffic disruption on Thursday amid closure of the borders of the national capital region (NCR) will be allowed to reschedule their flights for free.
The Haryana Police acted with "great restraint" against Punjab-based farmers who broke barricades during their "Delhi Chalo" march to ensure law and order, DGP Manoj Yadava said on Thursday.
The Haryana Director General of Police said farmers were marching towards Delhi but police would try to stop them without resorting to force.
Farmers from Punjab faced water cannons and broke police barriers at the state's border with Haryana as they pushed towards the national capital in protest against the Centre's farm laws.
By late evening, a large number of protesters from Punjab and Haryana were close to Delhi, where too police were deployed in strength at border points.
In view of traffic disruption in NCR region due to closure of Delhi borders, we are allowing no-show waiver & one free reschedule to passengers who couldn't report for their flights. Waiver will be valid for flights scheduled out of Delhi airport for 26th November: Air India
- ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020
"We have enough ration for two and a half to three months," said Tarpreet Uppal, travelling in a modified tractor that is their lifeline.
Punjab farmers had sought permission from the Haryana government to cross the state to reach Delhi, which was denied, but they marched on anyway.
Due to the security checks in view of farmers'' Delhi Chalo protest march, heavy traffic congestion was witnessed at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border), Delhi-Gurugram and Kalindi Kunj near Delhi-Noida border on Thursday.
Heavy security was also deployed at Singhu border Delhi-Haryana border) where drones were being used for surveillance.
Gaurav Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North), Delhi, told ANI that no farmer groups are moving in the direction of Delhi now.
"Our staff is on high alert. We are checking all the vehicles that are coming here to make sure no farmer enters the capital. Senior officials are also patrolling the area. The same information was shared by my counterparts also," he said.
Traffic was also heavy at Kalindi Kunj near Delhi-Noida border due to checking of vehicles.
Delhi-Gurugram (Haryana) border also witnessed traffic congestion due to checking of vehicles.
The Centre should not adopt a policy of confrontation with farmers. It should instead talk with them and resolve their grievances, Ms Badal said.
Watch | "Did not receive any call from Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar. We are not inciting farmers, this is a natural reaction": Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh#FarmersProtest pic.twitter.com/snhzuMr0Pw
- NDTV (@ndtv) November 26, 2020
Today is Punjab's 26/11. We are witnessing the end of the right to democratic protest. @Akali_Dal_ condemns the Haryana govt & Centre for choosing to repress the peaceful farmer movement.
- Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) November 26, 2020
The traffic build up was a result of Haryana Police personnel checking vehicles for farmers and protesters looking to enter Delhi.
A CM's pressure on Centre matters a lot. If CM wants, he can resolve a lot of things. Captain Amarinder Singh should have put pressure by going to Delhi & holding a meeting with Centre. Also, I want to appeal farmers of Haryana that they should support Punjab farmers: Chief, SAD https://t.co/VuemLB5vpH pic.twitter.com/sm7Wy0JJnb
- ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020
Delhi: Security tightened & barricading being done at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border) in view of farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' call. pic.twitter.com/Gxuv5pQt8p
- ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020
Armed with sticks and rocks, some of the farmers threw police barriers into the river below. The police opened fire with water cannon and tear gas, further enraging the protestors.
After a two-hour stand-off, police eventually allowed the marchers to continue towards the capital.
I've been trying to reach out to you for the last 3 days but sadly you decided to stay unreachable - is this how serious you are for farmer's issues? You're only tweeting and running away from talks, Why?
- Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) November 26, 2020
In Pics | Dramatic Photos of Huge Farmer-Cop Clash On Haryana Bridge https://t.co/uW6Gj6X1GT pic.twitter.com/aRIOdWyBhF
- NDTV (@ndtv) November 26, 2020
"Must be a strange pandemic! Only days ago Haryana Deputy CM held rally following no social distancing or masks, no Pandemic Act restrictions then? None during Bihar elections either? - why then for farmers protest?" @_YogendraYadav to NDTV, detained by Gurugram police pic.twitter.com/OjVaHFsF1P
- NDTV (@ndtv) November 26, 2020
Haryana Police intercepted Yogendra Yadav before he could get on the Jaipur Delhi Highway. Now he and Jai Kisan Andolan volunteers are detained by the police for "breach of peace" and being taken to an undisclosed location. pic.twitter.com/Zl6XZMqSeV
- Avik Saha (@aviksahaindia) November 26, 2020
हम सभी साथियों को यहां गांव मोकलवास के स्कूल में लाया गया जहां पर हमें बंद किया जा रहा है।
- Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) November 26, 2020
किसानों से समर्थन मूल्य छीनने वाले कानून के विरोध में किसान की आवाज सुनने की बजाय भाजपा सरकार उन पर भारी ठंड में पानी की बौछार मारती है।
- Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) November 26, 2020
किसानों से सबकुछ छीना जा रहा है और पूंजीपतियों को थाल में सजा कर बैंक, कर्जमाफी, एयरपोर्ट रेलवे स्टेशन बांटे जा रहे हैं। #FarmersProtest pic.twitter.com/al8dG8ZZhi
It's a sad irony that on #ConstitutionDay2020 the constitutional right of farmers is being oppressed in this manner. Let them pass @mlkhattar ji, don't push them to the brink. Let them take their voice to Delhi peacefully. pic.twitter.com/48P0rvILVU
- Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) November 26, 2020
केंद्र सरकार के तीनों खेती बिल किसान विरोधी हैं। ये बिल वापिस लेने की बजाय किसानों को शांतिपूर्ण प्रदर्शन करने से रोका जा रहा है, उन पर वॉटर कैनन चलाई जा रही हैं। किसानों पर ये जुर्म बिलकुल ग़लत है। शांतिपूर्ण प्रदर्शन उनका संवैधानिक अधिकार है।
- Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 26, 2020
Barricades put up, Water Cannons used, Illegal Arrests made on eve of Constitution Day as farmers were coming to Delhi to ask for their Constitutional Rights.
- Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) November 26, 2020
Govt should remember that people are supreme in a democracy and in the end they will prevail.#FarmersDilliChalo pic.twitter.com/xXw4fQouIT
Farmers vs Haryana cops turns chaotic | Amid tear gas shelling, farmers retaliate with stones.
- NDTV (@ndtv) November 26, 2020
"Don't use tear gas at us, we won't throw stones.. our target is to reach Delhi," a farm leader tells NDTV's Mohammed Ghazali LIVE now on NDTV 24x7 https://t.co/hMlRpgrUU6 pic.twitter.com/SlTida8XtN
Barricades flung into river, tear gas used as farmers clash with Haryana cops at state border
- NDTV (@ndtv) November 26, 2020
Stay tuned to NDTV 24x7 or log on to https://t.co/hMlRpgrUU6 as NDTV's Mohammed Ghazali reports live.
For all updates: https://t.co/wmTtLrDbXa pic.twitter.com/s0Sgqp9X5E
LIVE visuals from Haryana | Tear gas shelling, water cannons being fired at farmers from five states, by security personnel deployed by the BJP-ruled state, which is determined to stop them from crossing state borders.
- NDTV (@ndtv) November 26, 2020
NDTV's Mohammed Ghazali reporting LIVE pic.twitter.com/YIBnEbFBwZ