Farmers' protest: Delhi Police amps up security at border locations

Farmers' protest: Farmers across the country plan to march in rallies to Raj Bhavans in different states on Saturday and to express solidarity, one such rally is also being planned in Massachusetts, USA.

The Delhi Police on Saturday increased the security arrangements across the city's border ahead of the anticipated protest march by farmers, the news agency PTI quoted officials as saying.

Delhi Police officials deployed near the protest site of farmers observing June 26 as 'Save Agriculture, Save Democracy' Day to mark seven months of their protest against three farm reform laws, at Singhu border. (PTI)

Farmers across India especially belonging to states like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have been protesting against the contentious three farm laws. The farmers' protest, also reported to be the largest in history, completed seven months on Saturday. They began the protest in the national capital by camping at the Singhu border between Delhi and Haryana and at the other two borders namely Tikri and Ghazipur.

In view of protest and amped-up security, the Delhi Metro closed its three main stations on the Yellow Line for four hours on Saturday.

"As advised by Delhi Police, in view of security reasons, three Metro stations of Yellow Line namely, Vishwavidyalaya, Civil Lines and Vidhan Sabha will remain closed for public from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm tomorrow i.e, 26.06.2021 (Saturday)," the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) tweeted Friday night.

"Kheti Bachao, Loktantra Bachao Diwas" (save agriculture, save democracy) is being marked all over the country on Saturday to signify the completion of seven months of the farmers' agitation and 46 years after the promulgation of the Emergency in India in 1975, as per a statement by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 protesting farmers' union, reported PTI.

Farmers across the country plan to march in rallies to Raj Bhavans in different states on Saturday and to express solidarity, one such rally is also being planned in Massachusetts, USA, PTI reported the statement as saying.

Thousands of farmers from Saharanpur and Sisauli in western Uttar Pradesh reached Ghazipur gate led by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Rakesh Tikait. While, farmers growing wheat, sugarcane, mango, apple, green gram, paddy, jowar and others continue to protest in different parts of the country for remunerative guaranteed prices, the statement added.

Earlier on January 26, the farmers' protest took an unexpected turn after the march derailed from the planned route and a group of agitators took over the Red Fort leading to clashes in the national capital.

Farmers have been protesting at the borders of the Capital against 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, passed by the Parliament in September 2020.