Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers’ protest ends in Noida as BKU faction quits Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lokshakti) on Thursday called off their protest at Noida’s Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal after a police team visited them late Wednesday night and informed that they did not have permission to continue the protest. The farmer leaders said they were ending the protest since it had “lost direction”.They had been camping there since December 4, 2020.The BKU-Lokshakti had called media persons for a press conference on Thursday 11 am at the Sthal. However, since the morning, the premises were surrounded by Noida police and UP Police’s Rapid Reaction Force personnel who were requisitioned from Meerut, and there were no farmers, no tents, no tractors. Farmers affiliated to the BKU-Lokshakti later said that they were not permitted to address the press conference inside the Sthal.The BKU-Lokshakti president Shyoraj Singh and a few other office bearers then gathered at the Film City gate opposite the Sthal and interacted with media persons.Singh said that at 12.10 am (Wednesday night) senior officials of Noida police visited the Sthal and informed them about the effect of farmers’ violent protests in Delhi. “The police officials informed us that we do not have permission to continue the protest. They asked us to end the protest. We discussed the issue among our committee members and decided to call off the protest,” Singh said.Singh said that the farmers had been peacefully protesting at the Sthal for two months. “Our tractor rally on the Republic Day was also peaceful. But some anti-social elements created ruckus in Delhi and also hoisted a religious flag at the Red Fort. The BKU-Lokshakti condemns this incident and demands stringent action against the people involved in this. Since the protest turned violent in Delhi and lost its direction, we have ended our protest,” he said.Singh also said that his union members will discuss the issue and plan the next move accordingly.The farmers had loaded their belongings on tractors and cars and left the premises at night.In the last two months, the BKU-Lokshakti members had protested multiple times on the Film City road outside the Sthal and also tried to march towards DND Flyway and Kalindi Kunj over their demands for the repeal of the the farm lawsKumar Ranvijay Singh, additional DCP Noida, said that a police team had visited the Sthal on Wednesday night and talked to the farmers to end the protest as the BKU-Bhanu had already withdrawn from Chilla border.“The farmers agreed and ended the protest and vacated the premises. It was their call to leave the premises at night, and hold the press conference in the Film City. Now, there is no farmer protest in Noida area,” he said.Earlier on Wednesday night, the BKU-Bhanu faction had ended their protest at Chilla border and cleared the Noida-Delhi link road which had been closed since December 1.

Hindustan Times

28-01-2021

India