Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers defy ban order in Bijnor, take out inter-state tractor rally

Bijnor: Defying a ban on entry of tractors in UP's Bijnor, farmers went ahead with their 'Kisan Mazdoor Jagrati' tractor rally against the farm laws on Saturday. The inter-state rally that started from Uttar Pradesh's Ramraj, will enter parts of Uttarakhand, and conclude at Delhi's Ghazipur border on March 27. It is likely to cover 18 districts of western UP and Uttarakhand. The rally was flagged off by Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait from a local gurdwara in the Ramraj area of Muzaffarnagar on Saturday. At least a hundred tractors and scores of four-wheelers are part of the long convoy. Citing prevailing prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC, Bijnor SP Dharamvir Singh had banned entry of tractors in the district. The district police chief had even warned the farmers with strict action if they tried to enter Bijnor from Muzaffarnagar. Heavy police forces have been deployed in the area. However, the farmers' convoy managed to enter Bijnor district "peacefully". Digambar Singh, state president of BKU's youth wing, said, "We have started the 'Kisan Mazdoor Jagrati' tractor rally from Ramraj. Police warned us to stop the rally. But, no gun and baton can suppress the voice of farmers. Our convoy will halt in Bijnor's Najibabad on Saturday and Afzalgarh on Sunday. Later, we will pass through Rudrapur, Moradabad and Hapur districts. We are collecting soils from all the districts and spreading awareness among the farmers." Tejendra Singh, president of Kisan Sangathan, said, "We want the three farm laws to be repealed and a law on MSP be enacted. It is a matter of survival for the farmers' fraternity in India."

The Times of India

2021-03-07

Meerut