Farmers from UP reach Delhi border to lend support to protest by their Punjab counterparts

Some groups of farmers from Uttar Pradesh gathered at the Ghazipur border with their vehicles on Saturday afternoon, lending support to the agitation by their counterparts from Punjab against the Centre’s new agri laws.

A senior Delhi Police officer said that around 200 farmers arrived at UP Gate (Ghazipur border) as part of ‘Delhi Chalo‘ march call given by farmer organisations in Punjab and police officials were talking to them.

The protesting farmers have parked their vehicles in line at the designated spot to avoid any inconvenience to the public and ensure a smooth flow of traffic, he said.

“The farmers are demanding that they want to proceed towards Delhi but we are talking to them. At present, there are around 200 of them. They are sitting at UP Gate,” said Jasmeet Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East).

Amid heavy police presence, thousands of farmers from Punjab and Haryana stayed put at the Singhu and Tikri border points for the third consecutive day on Saturday even after being offered a north Delhi ground to hold peaceful demonstrations.

Numbers swelled at the Singhu border point as farmers gathered there were joined by more protesters and they refused to move towards the Sant Nirankari Ground.

After a meeting at the Singhu Border, a farmer leader said they would continue their protest there.

“We will not move from here (Singhu Border) and continue our fight. We will not return home. Thousands of farmers have come from Punjab and Haryana to join the protest,” he said.

Farmers protesting against the Centre’s three farm laws have expressed apprehension that the laws would pave a way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporates.

The Centre has invited several Punjab farmer organisations for another round of talks in Delhi on December.