Farmers Movement Archive

Agitating farmers detained on Yamuna Expressway

AGRA: Amid the Punjab and Haryana farmers' “Delhi Chalo” call to protest against the three Central farm laws, scores of farmers, including Bhartiya Kisan Union’s (BKU) Mathura unit president, were detained by police on Friday after they blocked the Yamuna Expressway near milestone 133 in Mathura’s Baldeo area and Maant toll plaza. They also protested against the use of force against protesters marching towards Delhi from Punjab and Haryana. Police later released them. Meanwhile, social activist Medha Patkar and scores of farmers from Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra -- who had been protesting on Agra-Mumbai highway for the past 44 hours -- were allowed to enter UP on Friday evening by Agra police after the Union government permitted farmers from Punjab and Haryana to enter Delhi. Talking to TOI, Patkar said, “We are now heading towards Delhi to participate in the protest against the Centre’s new farm reform laws.” She added that the UP government wants to suppress farmers’ voice, but it will never happen. The farmers were prevented from entering Uttar Pradesh near Saiyan village in Agra district, close to Rajasthan border on Wednesday night. Superintendent of police (rural) Shireesh Chandra told TOI that the farmers had earlier announced that they would gather on the Yamuna Expressway, at a place under Raya police jurisdiction, but they gathered at a spot 15 km away from Raya in Baldeo area around 11:30 am. Traffic was disrupted for almost half-an-hour on the expressway due to the protest, led by district president of BKU Rajkumar Tomar, who, along with 10 farmers, were detained by police. After almost one-and-half-hour, around 30 farmers were detained for blocking booths at Maant toll plaza for almost 2 hours, disrupting traffic. However, four booths were later vacated by them after police intervened. Three booths were completely blocked, said police. BKU’s district president of Mathura unit, Rajkumar Tomar, said, “If the farmers are stopped at border points, we will stage protests on the highways,” he said. In Aligarh’s Tappal area, farmers blocked the intersection on the Yamuna Expressway and submitted a memorandum to the President of India through the local administration.

The Times of India

2020-11-21

Agra