Will hold R-Day tractor parade only on Outer Ring Road, reiterates farmer leader

Krantikari Kisan Union chief Darshan Pal on Thursday said that the farmer leaders will hold another meeting with the police, after Friday’s talks with the Centre.

On a day farmer leaders are holding second meeting with the Delhi Police over the proposed Republic Day tractor rally, Krantikari Kisan Union chief Darshan Pal on Thursday re-emphasised that the rally will take place only on the Outer Ring Road in Delhi, adding that the leaders will hold another meeting with the police after 11th round of talks with the Centre, which is scheduled to take place on Friday.

“Govt has said tractor parade on Republic Day can’t be conducted on Delhi’s Outer Ring Road, due to security reasons. We’re clear that we will conduct tractor parade there only. After tomorrow’s meeting with Centre, we’ll hold another meeting with police,” news agency ANI quoted Pal as saying.

Pal’s organisation is a member of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions, which has been leading protests against the three contentious agricultural laws. Pal is also in the group of over 40 farmer leaders which has held ten rounds of talks with the government thus far.

Thursday’s meeting between the farmers and Delhi Police is taking place a day after they held their first meeting to decide upon the route on which the rally will take place. While farmers are adamant to hold their march on the Outer Ring Road, albeit “peacefully,” the police have proposed that the march take place on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway, where a “trailer” tractor march was held on January 7. As no consensus could be reached, the first meeting ended inconclusively.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to withdraw its plea filed in the court through the Delhi Police, seeking an injunction on the rally. In its plea, the police said that the march would “malign the image of the nation.” The top court, however, said that only the police can take a call on the matter.

Also on Wednesday, the government told farmer leaders that it was ready to put the laws on hold for the next 18 months. The farmers will communicate their decision in Friday’s meeting. The implementation of the laws has already been stayed by the Supreme Court.