Prohibitory orders under section 144, which prohibits mass gatherings, were issued in the northeast region of the national capital on Sunday in anticipation of farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo March’ on February 13, according to an official.
A significant number of farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab are set to march to the national capital on Tuesday as part of the Delhi Chalo March, which has been planned by about 200 farmer unions.
Demands made by the farmers
The farmers are asking a law that guarantees the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their goods, which was one of the requirements they agreed to when they decided to end their protest in 2021. Meanwhile, to prevent the disgruntled farmers from staging a ‘Dilli Chalo’ march, the Haryana government has barricaded the state’s border with Punjab. In addition, the Delhi Police has issued a traffic advise to commuters in order to reduce road congestion.
Farmers from Noida and Greater Noida had been protesting since December 2023, demanding more compensation and development plots on property taken by local development authority. Thousands of farmers from over 100 villages in Noida and Greater Noida marched to the streets on Thursday, demanding more compensation for lands taken by the government. To achieve their objectives, farmers’ groups organised a ‘kisan mahapanchayat’ and a march of protest to Parliament in the national capital on Thursday (13th February).
Impacts of the march
The march caused significant traffic bottlenecks on the Delhi-Noida border, and all borders were closed for 24 hours. Large police deployments were also made to prevent any law-and-order issues.
Earlier in the day, barriers were erected at the Chilla border with Noida Police on one side and Delhi Police on the other to prevent protestors who began their march from the Mahamaya Flyover in Noida at 12 p.m. from entering the national capital. Several police officers were dressed in anti-riot gear, complete with tear gas canisters and water cannons, while members from the Rapid Action Force and Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary were stationed at the Chilla border.
When hours of protesting on the Noida motorway, the farmers decided to call off their demonstration when Gautam Budh Nagar Commissioner of Police Laxmi Singh informed them that their demands would be heard. Before the farmers’ demonstration in Noida and Greater Noida, the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police had already enforced CrPC Section 144 for Wednesday and Thursday.
Prohibitary orders
The order has five separate points, including a prohibition on public gatherings at all borders between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, as well as neighbouring places within the jurisdictional area of the northeast District. Prohibit the entry of tractors, trolleys, buses, trucks, commercial vehicles, personal vehicles, or horses transporting protesters from Uttar Pradesh into Delhi.Order the northeast district police to make every effort to prevent demonstrators from entering Delhi.
Order that no person or protestor shall be permitted to carry armaments, including firearms, swords, trishul, spears, lathi, or rods, and that the police make every attempt to apprehend these individuals on the scene. Order that any individual discovered to be operating in defiance of this order shall be punishable under section 188 of the IPC is what the DCP stated.
Constitution of a committee
The Commissioner of Police also stated that a committee will be constituted under his supervision to undertake meetings with farmers’ representatives in a week. State ministers will also take part in these sessions.
Farmers from Noida met with the Police Commissioner and the District Magistrate. According to the Police Commissioner, a high-power group will be constituted by February 11 and would include the CEOs of all three bodies, the Industrial Development Minister, and the MLAs/MPs.
Farmers will continue to protest in Noida and Greater Noida, but if a high-power committee is created and their demands are granted, the demonstration will be over. The farmers are also preparing a massive march in Delhi on February 13.
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