Protest rally on Outer Ring road; plea in SC against scheduled march
Reiterating their demand for repealing new agriculture laws, the farmers’ unions on Sunday said they will go ahead with their proposed tractor parade in Delhi on Republic Day. The rally will be held on the Outer Ring Road and will be peaceful. They also alleged that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is filing cases against those who are part of the protest or supporting it.
Meanwhile, the authorities had moved the Supreme Court seeking an injunction against the proposed tractor march or any other kind of protest by farmers which seeks to disrupt the gathering and celebrations of Republic Day on January 26. The matter is pending in court.
“We have decided that we will carry out a tractor parade on the Outer Ring Road in Delhi on the Republic Day. The parade will be very peaceful. There will be no disruption of the Republic Day parade. The farmers will put up the national flag on their tractors,” said Yogendra Yadav, farmers’ union leader at the Press conference at Singhu Border on Sunday evening. Another farmers’ union leader, Darshan Pal Singh, alleged that the NIA is filing cases against protesters and its supporters. “All farmer unions condemn this,” Pal said, referring to the NIA summons reportedly issued to a farmer union leader in a case related to the banned Sikhs For Justice outfit.
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting at various border points of Delhi for over a month now demanding repeal of the three laws — the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Traffic Police on Sunday advised commuters to take alternative routes for coming to Delhi from Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and other borders.
In a series of tweets the traffic police said that Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Saboli and Mangesh borders closed. Please take alternate route via Lampur Safiabad, Palla and Singhu school toll tax borders. Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba and GTK Road. Please avoid Outer Ring Road, GTK Road and NH-44.
“The Chilla and Ghazipur Borders are closed for traffic coming from Noida and Ghaziabad to Delhi because of farmer protests. Please take alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anand Vihar, DND, Apsara, Bhopra & Loni Borders,” it tweeted.
“Available Open Borders to Haryana are following- Jharoda (Only Single Carriageway/Road), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH-8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera Borders,” it tweeted.
