Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers and BJP workers clash at Ghazipur border, six injured

Farmers and the Bharatiya Janata Party workers clashed at the Ghazipur border on Wednesday. Each side held the other responsible for the fracas in which at least six BJP workers sustained minor injuries and around two dozen cars that were part of the party cavalcade damaged. BJP district president Sanjeev Sharma said he and 300 party workers were waiting on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway to welcome Amit Valmiki, the newly appointed general secretary of the party’s Uttar Pradesh unit, who was travelling from Delhi to Bulandshahr. ‘Black flags’ “Suddenly, around 30-40 members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union jumped the dividers and started showing black flags. We didn’t mind black flags but when they started damaging our vehicles, we asked the police to intervene,” said Mr. Sharma. He added he saw BKU workers donning their green caps and some Sikhs among those who attacked their vehicles. “It was a planned protest as they had come prepared with black flags on sticks and swords,” Mr. Sharma claimed. “As there were many members of the SC-ST Morcha at the spot to welcome their leader [Amit Valmiki], they lodged a complaint with the police,” he added. Farmer groups described it as yet another planned attempt of the ruling party to disrupt their peaceful movement against the agriculture reform laws. ‘Slogans against farmers’ “The workers of the ruling party were beating drums and raising slogans against the ongoing farmers’ movement since morning. They had been trying to provoke the farmers. When some BJP workers tried to climb on our stage, farmers pushed them back,” said BKU national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, adding they would lodge a complaint with the police. “If they want to come on our platform, they should leave the BJP first,” he added. Farmer leader Jagtar Singh Bajwa also described it as an attempt to discredit their movement. “Those who were part of the welcoming party themselves damaged their vehicles and put the blame on farmers,” he alleged. Anshu Jain, Circle Officer, Ghaziabad, said the police had to intervene. “The injuries were not of serious nature and some vehicles were damaged when the cavalcade moved ahead from where police were present. The claim of the farmer groups that BJP workers were trying to climb on their stage seems far-fetched as two lanes of Expressway separated them.”

The Hindu

2021-07-01

Ghaziabad