New Delhi: The farmer’s staged protest three-hour nationwide “Chakka Jam” blockade of national and state highways on Saturday throughout the country except UP, Uttarakhand and Delhi states. Highways across north India, including the Eastern Peripheral Expressway around Delhi, were blocked by farmers protesting against the centre’s three farm laws passed in September.

30 people were taken into preventive custody in Bengaluru. Farmers leader Rakesh Tikait said “We won’t return home unless our demands are met” whose emotional outburst after the violence during Republic Day’s tractor rally gave a second wind to the protest being held by lakhs of farmers at the borders of Delhi for more than two months. Farmers blocked the highway from Delhi-Haryana border at Kundli to Palwal, but allowed the movement of ambulances and essential services. The Pathankot-Jammu Highway was also blocked.

Delhi, which saw violence during Republic Day’s tractor rally, was placed under a security blanket. Around 50,000 police, paramilitary, and reserve forces personnel were deployed in the Delhi-NCR region. Access to atleast eight Metro stations were shut since morning. At Delhi’s ITO which saw violence on Republic Day as a group of farmers made their way to the Red Fort there was huge police presence. The police placed a water cannon vehicle and “Vajra” which is used as a riot control vehicle.

Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said they held road blockades at 33 places in 15 districts including Sangrur, Barnala and Bathinda in Punjab. The Punjab-Haryana border was sealed and several interior routes blocked. Rahul Gandhi in a tweet said that The Congress extended support to the nationwide blockade. “The peaceful Satyagraha of annadatas is in national interest these three laws are not just harmful for farmers-labourers, but also for the people and the country. Full support!”