Farmers Movement Archive

Ahead of tractor rally, UP cops put farmers under house arrest

BIJNOR: Tightening noose around farmers’ leaders ahead of their Republic Day tractor rally, UP Police has put many of them under house arrests in Bijnor and Muzaffarnagar districts and stopped a large number of farmers marching towards Delhi from Baghpat on hundreds of tractors. Several western UP districts have been witnessing mock drills by farmers, wherein they assembled at different places in large numbers. In Shamli, they took out a tractor march to the Haryana border. On Saturday, several protests were reported from different districts. Though police are “preventing” them from going to Delhi in the name of the pandemic, west UP farmers continue to reach Ghazipur border using several alternative routes. In Bijnor district, farmers with national flags in their hands in more than 150 tractor-trolleys and other vehicles moved to Delhi to participate in the tractor parade. Many women farmers and their children were also travelling in tractor-trolleys to make the protest success. Besides, thousands of farmers from Bijnor led by state BKU youth wing president Digambar Singh reached Ghazipur border and pitched their tents there. They chose alternative ways to reach Delhi as police were patrolling highways. According to Digambar Singh, “Police are threatening farmers and preventing them from taking part in the parade. On Friday night, police stopped us, too, but we managed to reach Ghazipur border. It’s right of every Indian to take part in the tractor parade on Republic Day. How can any government or state machinery stop us?” West UP coordinator of Rashtriya Kisan Majdoor Sangathan Kailash Lamba alleged, “Police have put several leaders and workers under house arrest. They are not allowing us to move to Delhi. We somehow managed to leave Bijnor.” Hundreds of farmers on their way to Delhi under the banner of Rashtriya Kisan Majdoor Sangathan were stopped by police in Ganj area. As police did not allow them to move forward, they staged a dharna against the police action. “The dharna continued for hours. Later, we left Bijnor for Delhi late Saturday evening by tricking police,” said district president of the outfit Vinod Kumar. Meanwhile, farmers are also taking Gajraula route in Amroha district to reach Delhi. Thousands of farmers crossed the Ganga barrage. Besides, scores of tractors from Amroha district are on the roads to make the agitation successful. Bijnor superintendent of police Dharamveer Singh said, “We did not allow farmers to move to Delhi because of the pandemic and law and order situation.” In Baghpat, farmers travelling in 12 tractor-trolleys staged a protest after police stopped them at Basaud village. Wakeel Ahmed, a protesting farmer, said, “We will reach Delhi at any cost. No one can stop us. As of now, police have stopped us, but we will leave for Delhi late in the night.” In Shamli, too, police prevented farmers from joining the agitation in Delhi.

The Times of India

2021-01-24

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