Farmers in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh on Monday staged a tractor rally near the Yamuna Expressway to express their dissatisfaction with the government's response to their demands, particularly concerning the assurance of a legal minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
Visuals depicted numerous tractors moving along the road, but police intervention halted their progress as they attempted to enter the expressway, preventing the rally from proceeding as planned.
Despite farmers halting their march towards the national capital until February 29 pending a decision, they remain stationed at the Khanauri and Shambhu points along the Punjab-Haryana border.
Prior to the tractor rally, the Noida Police issued a traffic advisory for commuters, cautioning of significant congestion anticipated at various locations, including the Delhi-Noida border.
Delhi-Noida border barricaded
Farmers intended to conduct a tractor rally along the Yamuna Expressway, Luharli Toll Plaza, and Mahamaya Flyover, prompting police to implement traffic diversions in these areas.
The Delhi-Noida border is now barricaded, with police conducting vehicle checks for those entering Delhi or Noida. Individuals are advised against utilising the Yamuna Expressway and instead encouraged to opt for alternative routes or use the metro to minimise inconvenience.
Farmer beaten up by police; farm leaders, Amarinder Singh condemn
According to farmer leader Baldev Singh Sirsa, a farmer named Pritpal Singh was engaged in 'langar seva' (community service) at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border on Sunday when police purportedly pulled him from his tractor trolley and assaulted him.
"He was dragged from his tractor trolley, thrashed and later admitted to a hospital in Rohtak. But, we got him shifted to PGIMER at Chandigarh," Sirsa told PTI.
According to farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, Pritpal Singh has sustained multiple injuries. "We strongly condemn the police action," he said.
He also stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should step forward and acknowledge the demands of the protesting farmers to break the deadlock in talks between the government and farmer leaders.
"The Prime Minister should also take action against policemen who engage in such 'barbaric acts'," he said.
Former Punjab Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Captain Amarinder Singh denounced the "barbaric act of violence" perpetrated against Pritpal Singh.
He called upon Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to enforce stringent measures against the police officers accountable for the assault on the farmer.
