Farmers Delhi Chalo Protest: There is talk of a device used by the police amid the farmers’ movement. Police were recently seen with Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) at Singhu border. According to a report in The New Indian Express, LRAD is commonly known as sound cannon. It is a special loudspeaker which produces sound at high power.
LRAD was developed by the US Army in the early 2000s. This sound cannon makes such a loud noise that it becomes unbearable for humans and due to which it helps the security forces in dispersing the crowd. This device can even make a person deaf. The device weighs up to 150 kg. It can emit a sound of 152 decibels. The sound cannon seen at Sindhu Border has been installed on the police vehicle.
Why are farmers agitating?
Thousands of farmers from Punjab are camping at the Punjab-Haryana borders as part of their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to put pressure on the Center to accept their demands, including legal guarantee of minimum support price for crops and farm loan waiver.
A farmer lost his life in the clash
On Wednesday (February 21), a clash was witnessed between Haryana Police and farmers of Punjab, in which Bathinda farmer Shubhakaran Singh (21) died. This incident occurred when the farmers moved rapidly towards the barriers and clashed with the security forces.
SKM will celebrate black day
Meanwhile, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Thursday (February 22) demanded registration of a case against Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Home Minister Anil Vij over the death of a protesting farmer on the Punjab-Haryana border. SKM announced that farmers will observe ‘Black Day’ on Friday to mourn the death and the Union Home Minister Amit ShahEffigies of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and State Home Minister Anil Vij will be burnt.
SKM said that farmers will take out a tractor march on the highways on February 26 and hold an ‘All India Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat’ at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on March 14. SKM is not part of the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, but is supporting it.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur made this appeal to the farmers
Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday appealed to the farmers protesting on the Punjab-Haryana borders not to adopt the path of violence and said that the government is ready to talk to them to resolve their concerns.
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