Farmers’ protests | Prolonged dharna bleeds local businesses, livelihood

A highway or an important busy road remains a source of livelihood for the local community as many businesses and the local economy remain heavily dependent on it.

Daily workers, people going to factories around the protest area, local shops, trucks carrying goods, local auto and tempo owners, courier services, inter-state transport services, all get a beating when there are roadblocks and dharna.

No respite for locals

The protest against farm laws has caused immense inconvenience to locals living in border areas around Delhi and NCR. Although the impact of highway blockade extends to the whole of the economy, it's the local businesses, farmers, and traders who bear the maximum brunt.

Now, locals have raised their voices against such protests around Delhi and demanding their right to have access to livelihood.

Confine protests to designated sites only

Peaceful protests never harm a democracy. But when such agitations spring up on highways and roads, life is thrown out of gear. There are designated areas for such protests, but those looking for trouble to get the attention prefer to stage dharna on busy roads.

A network of miscreants waiting to hijack protests

What makes matters worse is a network of miscreants waiting to inflame these protests. Miscreants infiltrate these protests and then start pushing their separatists and violent agenda. This whole development compromises the credibility of the earlier peaceful and genuine protests.

These networks are social media savvy and press into action within hours. Even before the agitators realise, the whole protest gets hijacked by anti-social elements.

All concerned must intervene and protect the rights of locals to have access to the means of livelihood. We need to find ways where protests raise the objections sans compromising prosperity.