New Delhi, Feb 23 (IANS): Bharatiya Kissan Union leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni has clarified his statement about farmers taking police personnel hostage. "The police are not the enemy of farmers but farmers need to resist the manner in which the central government is adopting policies of oppression. So, if, say, Delhi Police personnel visit Haryana to arrest one of the participants in the farmers agitation, the villagers will get together and surround them."

Singh has appealed to the people of Haryana that they must gherao (surround) police personnel who visit the state to arrest any farmer activist. "They must resist their arrest and must not let the police personnel return to the Capital till the government drops its repressive policies. The farmers' agitation is running peacefully, so the government is relying on policies of oppression," Chaduni further said.

Responding to IANS's question about the numbers of farmers at Delhi's borders thinning, Chaduni said: "Owing to a number of Mahapanchayats being organised at various places recently, the number of farmers at Delhi's borders has indeed reduced marginally but the movement has not been weakened. The movement will continue till our objective is achieved."