Farmers Movement Archive

It's a security challenge for cops as thousands of tractors move to Delhi

MEERUT: With thousands of tractors and other vehicles from different parts of western Uttar Pradesh descending upon the UP-Delhi border on the eve of Republic Day for the farmers' parade, the security forces face an unprecedented challenge to ensure a peaceful Tuesday. Like other places, tractors from different villages in Baghpat took to Eastern Peripheral Expressway to reach Delhi. By Monday noon, Naresh Tikait, national president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), also reached Baghpat from Muzaffarnagar. At least 250 tractors accompanied him. In Bijnor, farmers avoided highways with heavy police deployment and opted for routes along water channels and link roads. In Meerut villages, elders flagged off hundreds of tractors. Meerut SSP Ajay Sahani said, “Entry and exit points are being watched through CCTV cameras. All eight points are being manned by 24 teams with regular checking of vehicles. Apart from the tractor parade, it is Republic Day and we are committed to prevent any untoward incident." After reaching Baghpat, an upbeat Naresh Tikait said, "We have been called everything from Pakistanis to Khalistanis, but see the kind of discipline exhibited by the farmers from various states. We have not been aggressive and did not damage anything that generally results in violent agitation. We only want the government to take back the three farm laws. We have great respect for Republic Day. Every year we celebrated this day as a national festival in our villages and tomorrow we will do it in Delhi." Nevertheless, there were a few unpleasant scenes. In Baghpat, the state's border district with the national capital, police tried to stop some tractors but failed as they were heavily outnumbered. In the Baraut region, several barricades were broken as thousands of tractors made their way through. In Bulandshahr, too, cops stood as mute spectators as farmers on tractors shouted, "there are no brakes in our tractors". Muzaffarnagar was much quieter though. "There have been no major police-farmer face-offs here. We did try to persuade farm leaders to keep their numbers low. Their parade coincides with Republic Day celebrations. This will obviously throw up a major security challenge for us, and we don't want to take any chances," Muzaffarnagar SSP Abhishek Yadav said.

The Times of India

2021-01-26

Meerut