Farmers at Ghazipur announce section 288 against police’s 144

Farmer leaders said 288, which is double of section 144, is symbolic in nature and essentially means the entry of anyone other than farmers in that area is restricted, and, most importantly, that the police and farmers will not interfere in each other’s business.

Taking a jibe at Delhi police for imposing section 144 at the Delhi-Ghaziabad border in Ghazipur, disallowing the gathering of more than three people, farmers protesting at the spot on Monday said they had imposed “section 288” of their own.

The farmers put up notices and wrote on the main Ghazipur Road, which is blocked, saying “section 288 of the Bhartiya Kisan Union is in effect here. (PTI)

Farmer leaders said 288, which is double of section 144, is symbolic in nature and essentially means the entry of anyone other than farmers in that area is restricted, and, most importantly, that the police and farmers will not interfere in each other’s business.

The announcement came after police increased its presence at the Ghazipur border in the afternoon and placed concrete barricades when the situation heated up briefly as farmers started raising slogans against the new farm laws. There was no untoward and the groups were calmed down by their leaders.

Chaudhry Rakesh Tikait, national spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union, who is camping at the Ghazipur border since Friday with hundreds of other farmers, said, “We’ve imposed 288, but it does not mean any disrespect to our country’s law. It is just symbolic and means that entry of anyone other than a farmer in our protest is restricted. It is also to disallow anti-social elements from getting into our groups,” he said.

Tikait said hundreds of farmers at camping at the Ghazipur border from various parts of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. “We are peacefully protesting. We are in touch with other unions and farmer groups in Haryana and Punjab and our next move will be decided on December 3,” the farmer leader said.

The farmers put up notices and wrote on the main Ghazipur Road, which is blocked, saying “section 288 of the Bhartiya Kisan Union is in effect here. No one apart from farmers are allowed here.”

Rapid Action Force, Border Security Force along with Central Armed Reserve Force and Delhi Police personnel in riot gear were deployed at the barricades to prevent the farmers from entering Delhi.

Deputy commissioner of police (east) Jasmeet Singh said the farmer gathering at Ghazipur has been peaceful since Friday. “At times, they did climb up the police barricades but were convinced to retreat by their farmer leaders. We have adequate arrangements and deployment in place to ensure law and order,” Singh said.

Farmers from parts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are camping at Ghazipur since Friday, when they were marching to Delhi but were restricted from entering the Capital.

The same day, farmers from Haryana and Punjab, who had reached Singhu border, clashed with Delhi police when stopped. Later, the police allowed them to camp at Sant Nirankari ground in Burari but turned down their proposal to some to Ramlila Maidan.

On Sunday, farmers had announced that apart from Tikri and Singhu borders that they have blocked since Friday, three more highways connecting Delhi with Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gurugram will be blocked completely.

Hours after the announcement, on Monday morning, cement barriers were placed at the Ghazipur border along police barricades to prevent farmers from barging in with vehicles.

In contrast, the Chila border, which connects Noida with Mayur Vihar in Delhi, remained unaffected. However, as a precautionary measure, paramilitary and Delhi Police officials remained deployed at both sides of the border for the fourth consecutive day.

DCP Jasmeet Singh said situation at the Chila border is normal. “Traffic is normal there. We are in regular touch with Noida Police and the situation is being closely monitored with sufficient force in place,” he said.

Police said traffic was not affected much at the Ghazipur border as the farmers have gathered under the elevated highway that connects Delhi and Ghaziabad.

“The service lane has been completely blocked by farmers since Friday but we have diverted traffic to the elevated road. Because of this, commuters are not facing much traffic issues,” said Singh said.