The governments of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have accelerated the pressure on farmer outfits to vacate the protest sites on Delhi’s borders–Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur—after the second countrywide surge in Covid infections. The Amit Shah-led Union home ministry is working out a strategy with the two BJP-led state governments along with the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government in Punjab to talk to the farmer leaders and apprise them of the intensity of the surge.
The district administrations in Haryana and UP are taking stock of the situation. This includes aerial mapping, rapid testing among the protesting farmers, and informal survey of the sites (through the intelligence agencies). Since November 26 last year, thousands of farmers have been protesting at the three sites on Delhi’s borders as well as across Haryana, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh against the new farm laws.