The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered the district administrations to get all the farmers protest site on the state’s borders with Delhi vacated
NEW DELHI – In view of the tensed situation at the Singhu border, the protesters camping at the site have been cornered to a designated area near the central stage, while the key routes connecting Delhi and Haryana around the border were blocked on Thursday.
Several routes connecting both Delhi and Haryana to the Singhu border were also closed by the Delhi police and para military forces. Besides, barricades have also been put up to disperse the protesters.
“We have stepped up arrangements to prevent any untoward incident at the Singhu border. The shops adjoining the border were also forced to shut,” said a senior Delhi police officer.
Two days after the violence broke out in the national capital, local residents around the Singhu border on Thursday demanded that farmers should vacate the protest site.
Some locals from Bakhtawar Pur and Hamidpur villages were seen agitating against the farmers at the border.
Singhu appeared a little subdued, a lot emptier as the deployment of the additional police force made the situation more tensed and charged up. Apprehensions were raised about a possible action by cops on the protesters as the news from Ghazipur border too reached Singhu about the mounting pressure by the Uttar Pradesh police.
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, are protesting at various border points of Delhi for over two month now against the Centre’s three farm laws.
Ghaziabad admin orders to get Ghazipur protest site cleared
The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered the district administrations to get all the farmers protest site on the state’s borders with Delhi vacated, officials said on Thursday.
The orders came two days after violence during the ‘Kisan Gantantra parade’ on the occasion of the Republic Day at several locations in the national capital.
The farmers at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh Ghazipur border had been sitting on protest against the three farm laws since November 26 last year, demanding the repeal of the three farm laws and ensuring the minimum support price (MSP) for their produce.
A senior police official wishing not to be named told IANS: “Yes, we have received orders from the government to get all the farmers protest site on the borders of the state vacated.”
Earlier in the day, there was heavy deployment of security personnel, comprising the Uttar Pradesh and Delhi Police, the Central Reserve Police Force and the Rapid Action Force at the Ghazipur protest site.
The farmers have blocked the Delhi-Meerut highway from one side since November 26 last year.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, who has been named in the FIR by the Delhi Police in connection with the Republic Day violence also made a presence at the Ghazipur border, after going underground for last two days.
A team of senior officials of the Ghaziabad police and administration also arrived at the Ghazipur border to apprehend him.
Delhi’s AAP govt supplies water, electricity after UP govt disconnects supplies; reports say police, protesters clash
NEW DELHI — Tension was rising at Singhu border, the epicentre of farmers agitation, as some 300 people claiming to be locals clashed with protesting farmers and resorted to stone throwing, according to media reports.
According to Tribune, the group arrived at the famers’ protest site and things came to blows as they demanded the area to be vacated by the agitators who have been at the site for more than two months.
The police resorted to lathi-charge and used tear gas shells to disperse the mob. Farmers too appealed for calm.
However, it remained unclear how the large group of people managed to enter the site of the farmers’ protest despite the presence of security forces in large numbers.
Meanwhile, following Rakesh Tikait’s appeal last night scores of local people and political leaders reached on protest sites to give support to farmers.
Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodiya and Rakesh Tikait at Ghazipur Border. — IANS
Aam Aadmi Party which governs Delhi was among the first to come to his aid. It promised to supply water and arrangement of electricity.
Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Cabinet ministers in Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, visited the protesting farmers at all three borders of Delhi on Friday.
At Singhu border also local people erupted in support of protesting farmers, say sources.
Tikait last had challenged the administration when police came to clear Ghazipur border. He told them he would rather lay his life but will not give up to the government.
The administration disconnected water and electricity supply at Ghazipur and other places of protest. People of the area responded to Tikait’s appeal by not only providing water but they also joined protesting farmers in big numbers, not only at Ghazipur but also at Singhu border and other places.
Groups of Uttar Pradesh farmers converged at Ghazipur border on Friday morning with a line of tractors in support of Rakesh Tikait.
Police and security personnel were withdrawn from the Ghazipur border after midnight on Thursday and now a large contingent of Police personnel is seen over there..
Friday morning, Dy CM of Delhi Manish Sisodia reached Ghazipur border and expressed solidarity with the farmers. Delhi govenment also sent water tankers over there which were stopped by the police personnel saying that we have orders not to allow water tankers.
Other leaders have also reached there.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also talked to Rakesh Tikait on phone and reportedly assured him his full support.
The things going wary it seem as media reports say that police and protesters were engaged in brickbats at Singhu border. People reportedly indulged in stone pelting and police have resorted to lathi-charge and used tear gas shells.
According to IANS, several policemen including Alipur Police Station House Officer were injured at Singhu border.
Other key border points – Tikri and the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border at Ghazipur – have also been placed under heavy security and remain tense.
BKU chief Rakesh Tikait is adamant to continue the farmers stir. He said that if anything happens at night at the Ghazipur border, the administration and the Central government would be held responsible for it.
MUZAFFARNAGAR — After the Red Fort violence on January 26, politics has intensified over the farmers’ agitation at Delhi’s Ghazipur border in protest against the Central farm laws. Bharatiya Kisan Union President Naresh Tikait has organised a Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar area of Uttar Pradesh on Friday.
A possible tussle between the local administration and the BKU has been averted. The administration has allowed holding a ‘Kisan panchayat’. At the same time strict security arrangements have been made and traffic diverted for its smooth movement.
The farmers have started arriving at the ground for the panchayat meeting. At the same time major routes are being closely monitored. Everyone is showing a keen interest in this mahapanchayat. It is believed that Naresh Tikait could make a major announcement. A large number of women are also expected to be present in the mahapanchayat. Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) National General Secretary Jayant Chaudhary’s arrival is also expected.
On Friday morning, senior officials including two Intelligence Bureau officers interacted with Naresh Tikait. The police administration has made strict security arrangements.
Before leaving for the meeting, the women participants reached Kisan Bhawan in Sisauli, paid tributes to Mahendra Singh Tikait and pledged to be equal participants in this protest by farmers.
SSP Abhishek Yadav said the road from Mahavir Chowk to Circular Road via Sujru Chungi would be completely closed during the Mahapanchayat. All vehicles coming from Meerut will enter the city through the Bhopa bypass via the highway. All vehicles coming from Shamli and Badhout would enter the city via the Peena-Vahlna bypass, and the Bhopa bypass.
Farmers from different villages of Sardhana, Jani, Sarurpur police station areas are preparing to reach Ghazipur border on tractors. Police has been deployed at different places on the Ganga Canal Marg with instructions to videograph the farmers and monitor them.
At the same time, BKU chief Rakesh Tikait is also adamant to continue the farmers stir. Tikait said that if anything happens at night at the Ghazipur border, the administration and the Central government would be held responsible for it. If any farmer is arrested without proper investigation, the situation could worsen. He said the farmers would not break the laws, but the government is forcing them to do so.
New Delhi: The BJP-led Hindu nationalist government has conferred Padma awards on 119 personalities. The awardees include eight Muslims.
Two renowned Islamic scholars, Maulana Wahiduddin Khan and Maulana Kalbe Sadiq have also been selected for the award. Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award have been presented to Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, while Maulana Kalbe Sadiq have been provided Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award.
Both the scholars had urged Muslims to give away their claim on Babri Masjid. Currently, a Ram Temple is being constructed on the site where Babri Masjid was standing till its demolition by Hindutva mobs, aided by BJP-RSS veterans, on 6 December 1992.
The awardees include, polymath Ali Manikfan, who has been awarded with the Padma Shri for his contribution in grassroots level innovations at Lakshwadeep. Born into an aristocratic family in 1938 in the Minicoy Island of Lakshwadeep, Manikfan is as marine researcher, ecologist, shipbuilder, agriculturist, and a polyglot.
Gulfam Ahmed from Uttar Pradesh for his contribution in the field of Art, Lakha Khan for Literature from Rajasthan, and Ghulam Rasool Khan for Art from Jammu and Kashmir, Sanjida Khatun for Art from Bangladesh and Col Quazi Sajjad Ali Zahir for Public Affairs from Bangladesh are among the recipients of the Padma Shri.
These awards cater to various disciplines including art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports and civil service. While ‘Padma Shri’ is awarded for distinguished service in any field, ‘Padma Bhushan’ is awarded for distinguished service of high order. ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service.
Reports coming from various state capitals suggest that angry farmers expressed their disapproval of the controversial farm laws in every corner of the country
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — The Republic Day protest call including tractor march by farmers union was for all over India. The Delhi violence that naturally drew media attention gives the impression that nothing happened in rest of India. But this is not true. The fact is that no part of the country remained untouched.
A closer look at reports coming from various state capitals suggest that the farmers were equally active everywhere, be it UP, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in the North, or Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in the south, or West Bengal and Assam in the East, or Maharashtra in the West. Everywhere the agitating farmers were on the road holding tractor rallies, protest demonstrations, sit-ins, etc.
The nation-wide protest call was given by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (United Front of Farmers, that represents over 40 farmers unions) and coordinated by the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (an umbrella front of over 500 farmers’ organisations from all states). The protest began from January 23 and culminated on 26th.
Tractor rally organised by farmers in Rajasthan remained peaceful.
It started with Mumbai on January 25. More than 15,000 farmers from various districts of Maharashtra gathered at Azad Maidan. NCP president Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat, Peasants and Workers Party leader Jayant Patil and various farmers’ representatives attended the rally on Monday.
On Tuesday, the actual day of protest, they left for their homes after an elderly woman agitator hoisted the national flag at the Azad Maidan, said the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS).
“The flag hoisting ceremony was held at the Azad Maidan on Tuesday morning. After that, farmers headed towards their homes. The movement is in line with what we had decided earlier,” AIKS president Ashok Dhawale told PTI.
After the public meeting at Azad Maidan on Monday, the protesters took out a march towards the Raj Bhavan. However, police stopped the protesters mid-way. A delegation of farmers was to meet and submit a memorandum to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. But the governor was away in Goa. Pawar told the gathering that the governor had time to meet film actress Kangna Ranaut but not the famers.
The farmers’ leaders accused Koshyari of not meeting them despite giving an appointment himself. The leaders charged Koshyari with “running away” to Goa and “insulting” farmers by not being in the Raj Bhavan to accept their memorandum. To protest the governor’s attitude, they tore copies of the memorandum.
In Jaipur, Rajasthan, a tractor rally was taken out from Shahjahanapur border in Alwar district towards Delhi on Tuesday. Unlike Delhi, it remained peaceful.
Farmers’ protest in a state capital.
Till 2 p.m., over 3,000 vehicles were seen on the roads which included tractors as well as jeeps and cars. All these vehicles were going towards Manesar. After crossing the Shahajanapur border, the farmers entered Haryana where the police permitted them to continue their rally till Manesar which is 65 km from Shahjahanapur.
As per the scheduled programme, the farmers were supposed to return after hoisting their flag at a government school in Delhi. However, owing to long traffic jams on the highway, many farmers failed to reach Manesar and had to return mid-way.
Farmers from Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat took part in the rally which passed off peacefully, said Sanjay Madhav, spokesperson for the Rajasthan chapter of Samyukta Kisan Morcha.
Protest rally in Kolkata, West Bengal.
In Bengaluru, Karnataka, thousands of farmers from various parts of the state reached by tractors and other vehicles as part of the ‘Jana Ganarajyotsava Parade’.
Although the Bengaluru Police had restricted the number of tractors entering the city, farmers marched in large numbers from the railway station to Freedom Park, a distance of about 3km, for their the parade in solidarity with the farmers protesting in Delhi for over two months.
Similar protests were held in many districts of Karnataka.
The farmers started arriving from distant parts of Karnataka to Bengaluru on Monday evening itself. The flow intensified on Tuesday morning as they rode on hundreds of tractors and lorries from across the state to converge in the Karnataka capital.
In West Bengal, a 72-hour Mahapadav had already been observed and tractor parades were held at various districts, including Burdwan, 24-Parganas and others.
Even in distant Assam protests were held.
Farmers participate in a tractor march on Republic Day, as part of their protest against Centre’s farm reform laws, in Gurugram. — PTI
In Gujarat, too, small protests could be held although the BJP-led state government cracked down on farmers’ protests from November itself.
Farmers from Western and central Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana had already converged at the Capital’s borders for the Republic Day protest. They had been joined by big and small contingents from all states, including Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and others.
