Farmers Movement Archive

Over 100 farmer leaders under ‘house arrest’ in Agra region

AGRA: To prevent farmers from travelling to Delhi for the Republic Day tractor parade, more than 100 farmer leaders have been allegedly put under “house arrest” in Agra region on Sunday. Strict checks of vehicles at district borders are being conducted by police and tractors are being stopped from proceeding towards Delhi. Farmers alleged that fuel stations have been “instructed not to give diesel to tractors”. After being stopped by police at several places on Sunday, farmers briefly blocked the Agra-Bareilly highway in Etah district. In Mathura, farmers blocked the Yamuna expressway for around 30 minutes resulting in long queues of vehicles. At Chilla border, Yogesh Pratap Singh, state president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu), said, “Thousands of our workers were scheduled to reach Chilla border by Sunday evening from Agra region. On orders of the state government, our senior workers have been put under house arrest. Those who had managed to leave their houses with their tractors were stopped. We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour of the UP government. Singh added, “If our workers are not allowed to move to Delhi, we will stage protest and block roads during the CM Yogi Adiyanath’s visit to Noida on Monday.” District president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait), Rajveer Lawaniya, who had planned to leave for Ghazipur border with 20 tractors and 200 farmers on Sunday morning, was allegedly stopped by the police outside his residence. “Police will not be able to stop hundreds of farmers from Agra to reach Delhi border. In case police don’t allow us to take tractors, we will go by private vehicles or board buses. Farmers from Agra will mark their strong presence in Delhi on January 26. The Centre will have to withdraw the three farm laws and guarantee MSP,” Lawaniya said.

The Times of India

2021-01-25

India