Delhi-Noida side at Chilla border opened

People protesting the Centre’s new farm laws on Wednesday evening opened Delhi-Noida road at Chilla border. The farmers said this was done after police assured them

People protesting the Centre’s new farm laws on Wednesday evening opened Delhi-Noida road at Chilla border. The farmers said this was done after police assured them that the farmers will not be stopped from coming to Noida from western UP.

HT Image

The Chilla border protest began on December 1 when the protesters blocked Noida-to-Delhi road. On December 5, the protesters blocked Delhi-to-Noida route as well when they came to know that some farmers were stopped at Jewar toll plaza. The Noida-Delhi route remains closed from December 1 till today.

For Delhi bound commuters, Noida Police advised them to take the DND Flyway route or Kalindi Kunj route to commute between the two national capital region (NCR) cities.

The number of protesters at the Chilla border and the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal in Noida has decreased significantly. Only about 20 protesters were seen at the Dalit Prerna Sthal and 40 at the Chilla border.

Dr SK Giri, general secretary and spokesperson for BKU (Lok Shakti), said, “We have been protesting for 10 days against the farm laws. We had dispatched most of the protesters to their respective home districts for the nationwide protest on December 8.”

At the protest site, the farmers addressed the gathering and vowed to continue their struggle till the demands are met. The farmers also organised a game of tug-of-war with one end supposed to be the government and the other, the protesters. The protesters “won” that game.

A group of Samajwadi Party workers on Wednesday marched from GT Road in Dadri and they were arrested and brought to Surajpur police line.

Veer Singh Yadav, president Samajwadi Party Gautam Budh Nagar, said that the government had adopted an oppressive means to quell the farmers’ protest. “We have the right to peaceful protest but the government and police are not allowing us. On Wednesday, a group of SP workers organised a peaceful march but the police team arrived and bundled us in three buses and brought to Surajpur police line,” he said.

Vishal Pandey, addl DCP Greater Noida, said that prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the criminal procedure code was in force in the district, which banned a gathering of more than four persons. “Protest or any such gathering is not allowed. The police first advised the Samajwadi Party workers not to protest. But when they refused, police arrested 80 workers and booked them under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of IPC. They were later released on personal bond,” he said.