Farmers Movement Archive

Not used force to stop farmers heading to Delhi borders, but trying to dissuade them, says UP ADG

MEERUT: In the wake of hundreds of farmers from Uttar Pradesh heading to Delhi borders after an impassioned appeal by Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait at Ghazipur border on Thursday night, UP ADG (law and order) Prashant Kumar told TOI that police did not forcibly prevent anyone from going to the protest sites. Kumar added they are, however, using all means to dissuade such groups from joining protesters as the situation is volatile. “I think we have been quite successful that way in containing numbers at the border,” the top cop said on Saturday, denying any forcible clampdown on the farmers' movement in western UP districts. Ever since Tikait's appeal, there has been added pressure on UP Police to keep the numbers low at the border with Bijnor SP Dharam Veer Singh on Friday even calling the protest site at Ghazipur "illegal" and warned farmers against rejoining the stir. Heavy police deployment in anti-riot gear was witnessed in Bulandshahr, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, among other places. "We did not forcibly stop anyone. We certainly tried to convince them not to leave. The situation at Ghazipur border is volatile. What if anti-social elements infiltrate the protest site leading to violence," Kumar asked. The ADG (law and order) also spoke about the youth who died during the Republic Day violence, calling it a "permanent loss to the family". "Who suffered the loss when the youth from Rampur died in Delhi protest?" However, despite the concerted effort by police, flow of farmers from western UP to Ghazipur border continued since Thursday night, though in much smaller groups. "Farmers are certainly leaving in smaller numbers and using different routes where police presence is less. Even [BKU president] Naresh Tikait had appealed at the mahapanchayat on Friday not to reach the border in large numbers, to avoid chaos. Our strategy is to maintain the flow," Jitender Huda, a farmer from Shamli, said. On the heavy deployment of police, Meerut zone ADG Rajeev Sabharwal said, "We are not stopping anyone. We did not stop mahapanchayat too. But, regulating traffic is our job. We cannot allow chaos on roads and highways causing inconvenience to others. And as far as asking names and taking down contact numbers are concerned, at least we can contact them in case of any need. Managing such a massive crowd at the border is also our responsibility."

The Times of India

2021-01-31

Meerut