Highlights
- The Delhi Police have made strict security arrangements in the national capital
- Cemented barricades have been put up at the Delhi-Haryana Tikri border
- This comes a day after Rakesh Tikait was detained by the Delhi Police at the Ghazipur border
Farmers' protest: Hundreds of farmers from different states reached Delhi amid heavy security arrangements to participate in a 'mahapanchayat' called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) at Jantar Mantar on Monday. SKM leaders claimed at some locations, farmers were being stopped from reaching Jantar Mantar, a claim denied by the Delhi Police.
Meanwhile, the police have tightened security in the national capital, especially at Delhi borders, including Singhu and Ghazipur, in wake of the 'mahapanchayat'. The Delhi Police have put up cemented barricades and have tightened security at the Delhi-Haryana Tikri border.
Police said all vehicles entering the capital are being checked and police personnel are on 'alert mode'.
According to the details, the Delhi Police have denied permission to protest at Jantar Mantar.
According to a statement by the DCP, the farmers' union had sought a permit to protest at Jantar Mantar on Monday, however, the same was not granted due to heavy rush.
Prohibitory orders under section 144 have been clamped in New Delhi.
In wake of the mahapanchayat, traffic movement may be affected in many parts of Delhi as the police have put up barricades at border points, they said.
In a tweet, the police asked motorists to avoid Tolstoy Marg, Sansad Marg, Janpath Road, Ashoka Road, Outer Circle Connaught Place, Baba Kharak Singh Marg and Pandit Pant Marg due to farmers' mahapanchayat.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha and other farmers' groups are organising the congregation and they will pass through the outer district, which includes the Ghazipur border in Ghaziabad, officials said.
"In this connection, adequate deployment of local police and outside force has been made in outer district at Tikri border, major intersections, along railway tracks and metro stations to avoid any untoward incident," a police official said.
This comes a day after farmer leader Rakesh Tikait was detained by the Delhi Police at the Ghazipur border while he was trying to enter the national capital to take part in the unemployment protest at Jantar Mantar.
He alleged the Delhi police was working at the behest of the Centre and did not allow him to meet the unemployed youth.
A Delhi Police official said Tikait, the national spokesperson for the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and a prominent face of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), was stopped at the border around afternoon.
"Thereafter, he was detained and taken to Madhu Vihar police station where police spoke to him and requested him to return," Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dependra Pathak said.
The DCP said Tikait "agreed" with the police request, and was "escorted back".
The development came after several farmer leaders and organisations gathered at Jantar Mantar for their "Rozgar Sansad" (employment parliament) organised by the Samyukt Rojgar Andolan Samiti (SRAS).
The SRAS said in a statement that Tikait, who was coming to participate in the movement, was stopped by the police at the border.
AAP leaders Gopal Rai and Sanjay Singh and farmer leaders Gurnam Singh Chadhuni and Rishipal Ambavat participated in the protest on Sunday.
Police sources said Tikait was detained as the Delhi police was trying to prevent "undue gathering" in the national capital.
Earlier on August 18, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) - an umbrella body of farmers, had announced a three-day stir in Lakhimpur Kheri of Uttar Pradesh, to press for their pending demands.
The leaders said their agitation started with the arrival of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and different parts of Uttar Pradesh from Wednesday night.
Lakhimpur Kheri is represented in Lok Sabha by Mishra, the Union Minister of State for Home.
His son Ashish Mishra is an accused in the violence that took place on October 3 last year in which four farmers and a journalist were among the eight people killed.
SKM is an umbrella group comprising around 40 farm organisations, primarily demanding the proper implementation of minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
Earlier on July 31, farmers in Punjab had blocked the railway track at Vallah in Amritsar, Bathinda and protested at Shambhu toll plaza in Ambala, Panchkula's Barwala and Kaithal's Cheeka against the Union government for not fulfilling their demands.
(With inputs from agencies)
