New Delhi: Following a month-long encampment at the borders of Delhi, farmers engaged in a protest have now entered the national capital to emphasize their demands, which encompass securing a legal assurance for a safety net on the pricing of all agricultural produce.
Today in Delhi, the ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ witnessed significant facts.
The Delhi Police has authorized the farmers to organize a ‘Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat’ at Delhi’s Ramlila Ground today. However, the police have imposed certain conditions on the farmers, including no tractor trolleys, no march, and a limit of 5,000 protesters.
The gathering, scheduled from 11 am to 2 pm, aims to intensify the opposition against the government’s policies, with a focus on issues such as MSP and the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations. The protest will be led by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella organization of farmers’ groups that spearheaded the 2020-21 farmers’ protest against the three central agricultural laws.
SKM plans to pass a resolution, ‘Sankalp Patra,’ outlining strategies against pro-corporate policies and announcing future actions, particularly in the context of the upcoming general elections. The police have issued a traffic advisory as there may be disruptions in various parts of Delhi and its surrounding areas.
Several roads, including Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Barakhamba Road, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg, Tolstoy Marg, Asaf Ali Road, Jai Singh Road, Swami Vivekanand Marg, Sansad Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg, Baba Kharag Singh Marg, Minto Road, Ashoka Road, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh flyover, Connaught Circus, Bhavbhuti Marg, DDU Marg, and Chaman Lal Marg, are expected to be affected due to the farmers’ gathering in Delhi.
The farmers from Punjab arrived at the Delhi borders on February 13, aiming to peacefully demonstrate at Ramlila Maidan. However, they were initially denied permission and stopped at the Punjab-Haryana border by the police. During a confrontation between the farmers and security personnel, water cannons and tear gas were used.
The farmers embarked on their march with trollies filled with provisions to sustain them for months, vowing not to return until their demands were met. The police had installed nails and concrete blocks on the roads to prevent their vehicles from entering Delhi.