Farmers protest bare- chested, try to enter Delhi from Noida

Noida: A group of farmers on Sunday protested bare chested, braving the cold conditions, in Noida and tried to march to Delhi via Kalindi Kunj from Rashtriya Dalit

Noida: A group of farmers on Sunday protested bare chested, braving the cold conditions, in Noida and tried to march to Delhi via Kalindi Kunj from Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal, as part of the ongoing protests at the national Capital’s borders against three newly passed farm bills.

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They were, however, stopped at some distance from the border by the police who had placed several layers of barricades. The farmers then tried to take the Delhi-Noida-Direct (DND) Flyway but were stopped and returned to the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal, where they are continuing their protest.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) members had held a mahapanchayat Sunday afternoon before deciding to march to Delhi. The farmers said they have extended support for the nationwide strike called for on December 8.

BKU Lok Shakti national president Thakur Swaraj Singh Bhati said that there was heavy deployment of armed police personnel on the route. “We had informed the police in advance about our march to Delhi. We had planned to take the Kalindi Kunj route but they had placed mobile metal barriers at different places as well layers of personnel. The farmers protested bare chest to demonstrate their plight. But the police did not allow us to advance. We tried to march towards the DND Flyway and faced similar barriers and a battery of police personnel, armed with batons. They said that there is no permission to march to Delhi,” he said. The farmers wanted to enter Delhi and protest at Jantar Mantar, Ramlila Maidan or Kisan Ghat, Bhati added.

Dr SK Giri, general secretary and a spokesperson of BKU Lok Shakti, also protested bare-chested against the bills. He said that India is an agrarian country as around 90 crore people are engaged in farming. “The new farm policies will facilitate big corporate who would buy produce from farmers and store them in their big cold storages. They will then sell them at high prices, which will lead to inflation. The country is undergoing a serious financial crisis. The government must listen to the farmers’ genuine demands and withdraw the farm bills,” Giri said. He added that if their demands are not met soon, the farmers will bring in some buffaloes in a day or two and play a flute in front of the bovines as a symbolic protest to the “deaf” government.

Rajesh S, deputy commissioner of police, Noida Zone 1, said that the police pacified the protesters and they later returned to Dalit Prerna Sthal. He said that the protest remained peaceful and no unwanted incident was reported.

Meanwhile, traffic coming from Greater Noida to Noida remained affected on Film City road for about one hour (2-3pm) due to the protest. Ashutosh Singh, Noida traffic inspector, said that the protest was restricted between gate numbers 4 and 5. “We facilitated the traffic in one lane, and for some time, halted the traffic completely. We had also placed barricades at the Noida side of the Kalindi Kunj bridge. However, the protest could not reach Kalindi Kunj as they were stopped near the Film City flyover,” he said.

The roads at Chilla Border continue to remain closed as BKU-Bhanu members have camped there in protest.