New Delhi: The Delhi police is in a tizzy ahead of the farmers’ call to march up to Parliament House during the ongoing monsoon session. After being initially denied permission, they have been allowed to march to Jantar Mantar, just a kilometre short of the Parliament House.
The cops had got input that if permission is not granted, they may come in groups of four or five and try to sneak into Parliament complex despite the multiple layers of security.
The farmers will travel to Jantar Mantar from the Singhu border in buses with police escort. At least 2,500 Delhi police officials, along with 3,000 paramilitary personnel, will be deployed at the Singhu border. Apart from this, anti-riot force, water cannons and tear gas are on standby to prevent anti-social elements from infiltrating the procession, akin to what happened on Republic Day this year.
After getting the Police nod, the Kisan Ekta Morcha, which is spearheading the protests at the Delhi borders, tweeted: "From Delhi roads to Red Fort & now to vicinity of Parliament, farmers are ready to protest to get back their rights. They can't just hand over the farm heritage & their livelihoods to the merciless & heartless govt."
The morcha will hold a daily "Kisan Parliament" at Jantar Mantar, attended by 200 protesters.
After a meeting with Delhi Police officials on Tuesday, a farm union leader said they will hold peaceful demonstrations at Jantar Mantar and no protester will approach Parliament. The multiple rounds of talks with the government, which has been projecting the laws as major agricultural reforms, have failed to break the deadlock.. The union agriculture minister is issuing statements every second day inviting the farmers for further talks, but they are refusing to play along until the government agrees to roll back those farm laws.
