Group of opposition MPs not allowed to reach Ghazipur farmer protest site
Over a dozen MPs belonging to the opposition parties on Thursday morning arrived at the Ghazipur border in Delhi to meet the farmers who are protesting against the new farm laws. The MPs were, however, stopped by the police here. They were not allowed to meet the farmers, citing security reasons. Ghazipur is one of the three sites where farmers mostly from Punjab, Haryana and west UP are sitting on a protest against the farm reforms.
The opposition's delegation included NCP MP Supriya Sule, DMK MP Kanimozhi, SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, TMC MP Saugata Roy and others.
Kanimozhi criticised the Centre for placing iron rods, concrete wall and barbed wires and suspending Internet at the protest site. She said, "This is human right violations. The MPs have come to Ghazipur border to see the conditions. Our own people have been stopped from entering the national capital with the multi-layered barricading."
TMC MP Saugata Roy too slammed the Centre over the heavy barricading at Ghazipur border. "The MPs' delegation was stopped by police from meeting the protesters," he said.
"We are here so that we can discuss this issue (farmers' protest) in Parliament. Speaker is not letting us raise the issue. Now all the parties will give details of what is happening here," Harsimrat Kaur said.
The opposition parties have extended support to the farmers' stir. Several politicians including Delhi's deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal and others have visited Ghazipur in the last few days to meet the farmers.
In another related development, deployment of 31 CRPF companies including 16 RAF companies for Delhi-NCR, in view of farmers protests, has been extended for two more weeks.
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