Farmers’ protest in Delhi: Section 144 imposed, security beefed up | 10 points

India

oi-Prakash KL

New Delhi, Aug 22: Security has been beefed up on Monday at Delhi borders, including Singhu and Ghazipur, ahead of the ‘mahapanchayat’ called by farmers’ body at Jantar Mantar, police said on Monday and 144 has been clamped in New Delhi.

Delhi borders on high alert as farmers get set to hold panchayat at Jantar Mantar on MSP, Agnipath

Here are the updates on farmers’ protest:

1. Hundreds of farmers from different states started reaching Delhi amid heavy security arrangements to participate in a ‘mahapanchayat’ called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) at Jantar Mantar on Monday.
2. SKM Leaders claimed at some locations, farmers were being stopped from reaching Jantar Mantar, a claim denied by the Delhi Police. “The mahapanchayat is a one day-long peaceful event where we will reiterate our demands such as a legal guarantee on MSP and cancellation of Electricity Amendment Bill 2022 among others,” said Abhimanyu Singh Kohar, SKM (non-political) member and organiser of the ‘mahapanchayat’.
3. Traffic movement is slow at the Noida-Delhi Chilla border as security is heightened at the border entry point to Delhi, amid a call for protest by farmers over the issue of unemployment at Jantar Mantar.
4. Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dependra Pathak said, “We have made adequate arrangements to ensure that the law and order is maintained and there is no loss of life and property.”
5. According to the police, extra barricades have been put up at Jantar Mantar along with heavy police deployment. Anyone trying to gain entry will be checked thoroughly to avoid any undue gathering which may give rise any untoward situation, police said.
6. Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Sagar Preet Hooda said, “Personnel usually remain deployed at Jantar Mantar but on Monday, we have deployed additional force in view of the ‘mahapanchayat’.”
   Traffic movement likely to be affected in many parts of Delhi as the police have put barricades at border points, officials said. In a tweet, 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’ congregation.
7. Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait was Sunday detained by the Delhi Police at the Ghazipur border while he was trying to enter the capital to take part in an unemployment protest at Jantar Mantar. He had alleged that the Delhi Police was working at the behest of the Centre and did not allow him to meet the unemployed youth.
8. A Delhi Police official had 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 requested him to return,” Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dependra Pathak had said.
9. On Sunday, several farmer leaders and organizations gathered at Jantar Mantar for their ‘Rozgar Sansad’ (employment parliament) organized by the Samyukt Rojgar Andolan Samiti (SRAS).