Farmers' Protest: What is 'chakka jam' that farmers have announced for Saturday?

New Delhi, Feb 02: As part of the ongoing protest against the three farm laws, farmer unions have given a call for a nationwide "chakka jam" on February 6 (Saturday). The kisan unions have announced that they would create blockades at various national and state highways across the country for three hours on Saturday.

According to reports, the "chakka jam" will be enforced by farmer unions to protest against the ban on internet services which has been imposed in areas near their protest sites by the government. The unions have called it harassment by authorities.

Addressing a press conference, kisan union leaders said that highways and roads would be blocked between 12 noon and 3 pm on February 6 (Saturday).

The unions said that the authorities were trying to kill off their protests by cutting water and power supply to the protesting sites. They also alleged that mobile toilet blocks are also being taken away from the protest venues.

According to the Samkyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of protesting farmer unions, Twitter accounts of Kisan Ekta Morcha and others involved in the agitation were being blocked on the instructions of the Central government.

According to Punjab farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal, unions will hold a meet to work out the modalities of the February 6 'chakka jam'.

"Our February 6 protest would also be against this harassment faced by journalists who are trying to report the truth from the ground, and the Twitter restrictions," Rajewal said.

On Monday, the government asserted that it was committed to the welfare of farmers. Presenting the Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed a 10 per cent hike in farm loan disbursal target to Rs 16.5 lakh crore.