New Delhi: The Ambala Police in Haryana on Thursday said they are taking action under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against farmers' leaders who are heading the 'Delhi Chalo' protest – only to revoke this statement on Friday. The protest has been stopped by the police at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders between Punjab and Haryana, and farmers have not been allowed to make their way to Delhi.

In a statement in Hindi on Thursday, the Ambala Police had said, "Daily attempts are being made to disturb law and order by creating a ruckus. During this period, a lot of damage has been caused to government and private property by the hooligans. The damage caused to government and private property by the agitators is being assessed."

“Several leaders actively involved in the protest are working to disturb law and order. Regularly, on social media like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, etc. provocative speeches are being given. Posts are being made to disturb communal harmony. With regular speeches in the Andolan, protestors are being provoked against the administration. Wrong words are being used against administrative officials, government. In lieu of the Andolan, hooligans have committed serious violence,” it continued.

“In this regard, action is being taken by the administration against the agitators and office-bearers of the (farmer) unions under Section 2(3) of the National Security Act, 1980, so that, law and order is maintained and communal harmony is not disturbed,” the statement read.

However, on Friday morning, the police appeared to have had a change of heart. "This is to clarify to all concerned that the matter of invoking provisions of the National Security Act on few farm union leaders of district Ambala has been reconsidered and it has been decided that the same will not be invoked," a fresh statement, this time in English, said. "Haryana Police appeals to the protestors and their leaders to maintain peace and co-operate with the authorities in maintaining law and order."

The Haryana Police's actions have come under criticism, with more than 150 farmers injured and one, 22-year-old Shubkaran Singh, killed at the state's border areas. Police have been using tear gas shells and rubber bullets against the farmers, who are protesting because they believe the Union government has broken promises made to them. There has also been a wide-scale effort from the Union government to block social media posts from and in support of the farmers, to the extent that social media giant X has said it does not agree with the Indian government's moves.

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