Farmers' stir: Delhi on toes as 15,000 tractors to enter capital on Republic Day, security tightened
After getting the permission from Delhi Police to organise a tractor rally in Delhi on Republic Day, the farmers' unions have started preparations to make the event a mega success. Unions have issued guidelines so that the parade is carried out in a "peaceful manner".
"We are going to create history. Till date, such a parade has never been carried in the country on Republic Day. We have to keep in mind that this historic parade doesn't gets maligned. The peaceful parade will mark our victory. We have to remember that we are not going to conquer Delhi, rather we are going to win the hearts of the people of the country," the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said.
The tractor parade will start from Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri borders points of the national capital. According to police, barricades would be lifted at Singhu, Tikri and Gazipur borders on January 26 after the Republic Day parade is over and the farmers will be allowed to enter upto 100 km within Delhi with their tractors in a circular path on the routes discussed with the farmers.
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- Tractors and other vehicles will be included in the parade but all trolleys will not be part of the parade.
- Some trolleys with special tableaux will figure and safety arrangements will be made for them.
- Parade will be led by the vehicles of the farmers' leaders and everybody has to follow the instructions of the traffic volunteers. They will be deployed at every junction.
- If any vehicle tries to block the road without any reason, the volunteers will remove the blockade. All the vehicles will return after completing the parade.
- Only five people including the driver will be allowed on a tractor. No one will be allowed to sit on the bonnet, bumper or roof of the tractor.
- All the tractors will be driving in a line. No one will race with each other and no one will be allowed to go ahead of the vehicles of the farmers' leaders.
- Farmers advised to keep ration for at least 24 hours and items for cold in case tractors get stuck in traffic.
- Farmers not to carry any political party's flag, but the national flag along with the flag of the farmers' unions.
- Farmers not to carry any kind of weapon and not to use any provocative slogans.
- Drivers won't be allowed to play music in the tractors so that it will make easy for others to listen to the instructions during the parade.
Meanwhile, ambulances have been arranged and arrangements with the hospitals have also been made so in case of medical emergency, farmers can call on the helpline number or tell the nearest volunteer.
Farmers mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western UP, have been demanding a repeal of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020. The laws were enacted by the Centre last year.
Farmers have been sitting on protest at the Delhi borders since November 26 last year. The farmers' unions have held 11-rounds of talks with the Central government so far.
In another related development, the Delhi Police has stepped up security and intensified patrolling and verification drives across the national capital to thwart any untoward incidents. The national capital is brought under an unprecedented ground-to-air security cover with thousands of armed personnel keeping a tight vigil.
Security arrangements have been also been tightened at the border areas in view of the tractor rally by farmers.
