Sukhbir Badal, Harsimrat Kaur detained in Delhi over farm protest
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, Lok Sabha MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and several other party leaders were detained in Delhi today, reports said. They were holding a march to mark one year of nationwide protests against the central government's controversial farm laws. Farmers have been protesting in and around the national capital since last year.
Leaders taken to Parliament Street Police station
Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) is currently imposed in Delhi. Badal and other leaders were detained for violating that law and taken to the Parliament Street Police station, reports say.
Badal alleged party workers were beaten with lathis
Before being detained, Badal told reporters that party workers were beaten with lathis and their vehicles were attacked by the police. "A peaceful protest was stopped. We've come here to give a message to PM Modi that not only Punjab but entire country is against his government," he told news agency ANI. Harsmirat Kaur said she strongly condemned the Delhi Police's action against protesters.
'It's an undeclared emergency'
Delhi Traffic Police issues advisory
Meanwhile, the Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory, asking people to avoid certain routes across the capital city. They include Gurdwara Rakabganj Road, RML Hospital, Ashoka Road, and Baba Kharak Singh Marg, among others.
Delhi Police stopped farmers from entering the city
Earlier in the day, the Delhi Police had put up barricades and closed certain roads and two metro stations to stop the protesting farmers from entering the city. The Delhi Police had yesterday issued a notice to Badal and and spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema, prohibiting the party's protest march from Gurdwara Rakabganj to the Parliament on Friday.
Akali Dal had quit the BJP-led NDA over farm laws
The Akali Dal, once one of BJP's oldest allies, had quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) last year while Harsimrat Kaur resigned as a Union Minister from PM Modi's Cabinet. Farmers and Opposition leaders have been protesting against the three farm laws passed last year and multiple rounds of talks have failed to end the deadlock.
