Kisans from western UP, U’khand stay put at Capital’s Ghazipur border; traffic jam in Delhi, Noida
The farmers on Friday called for “Bharat Bandh” on December 8 to mark their protest against the new farm laws if their talks with the Centre fail. Thousands of farmers remained at the national Capital’s border points amid heavy police deployment.
“The Government has to revoke these laws in a meeting scheduled for December 5, otherwise we have decided to give ‘Bharat bandh’ call on December 8 and we will also occupy toll plaza and all vehicles will be passed through them without any payment. On December 7, awards will be returned back to Government by sportspersons and on December 5, effigies of the Narendra Modi Government and corporate houses will be burnt across the country,” said Harinder Singh Lakhwal, Bharatiya Kisan Union general secretary.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Friday said the farmers are hoping that the Government will meet their demands during the fifth round of talks scheduled for December 5, failing which they will continue their protests against the new farm laws.
“We have also decided to close all roads connecting to Delhi if demands are not met soon. In the meeting tomorrow our main agenda will be to know if the Government is rolling back laws or not. The protests are going on countrywide against the law, even in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and this protest is just not limited to northern States but across the country,” said Ranjeet Singh Raju from Rajasthan.
Farmers from western Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand stayed put at Ghazipur border (UP Gate) to mark their protest. Following which the National Highway-9 remained closed from Ghaziabad to Delhi on the second consecutive day. Commuters taking alternate route faced long queues of traffic on their route. The farmers on Friday also tried to block the Bhupra and Apsara border but later the security forces persuaded the farmers and the traffic movement resumed.
However, traffic in the national Capital remained in chaos on Friday as Delhi Police and Noida Police issued advisory for route diversion.
The Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur, Jharoda Lampur, Auchandi, Safiabad, Piao Maniyari, and Saboli and Chilla border remained closed for traffic movement.
A meeting of farmers union took place on Friday and in a Press conference the farmers said in their meeting held on December 3, they clearly told the Government to roll back the farm laws and pointed out to nine flaws in them.
“If Government does not agree to our demands, the further course of action will be decided tomorrow and we will intensify our protest,” said Gurnam Singh Chaduni.
Meanwhile, hundreds of farmers stayed put at the Noida-Delhi border for the fourth day on Friday leading to the shutdown of the roads for traffic movement.
The protesters, including some women, are camping at one carriageway of the Delhi-Noida Link Road at the Chilla border, while some are demonstrating at the nearby Dalit Prerna Sthal near the Mahamaya Flyover.
Rakesh Tikait, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader said if there is no conclusion in the meeting scheduled for December 5, they will continue their protests against the new farm laws.
Noida Traffic Police in its advisory on Thursday night suggested alternative routes instead of the Chilla road for hassle-free commutation. However, the alternative routes, Delhi-Noida Direct expressway and Kalindi Kunj, witnessed more than usual traffic that led to snarls during peak morning hours on Friday.
“The Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border on NH-24 at Gazipur remains closed for traffic from Ghaziabad to Delhi on Friday, too,” Delhi Traffic Police said.
The Delhi Traffic Police tweeted, “People are advised to avoid NH-24 for coming to Delhi and use Apsara/ Bhopra/DND instead.”
The Delhi Traffic Police suggested people to avoid the Noida Link road for coming to Delhi and use the DND flyway instead.
As farmers remained unyielding on their demand for scrapping the new farm laws, the police kept the Delhi-Haryana border at Singhu, Tikri, Jharoda Lampur, Auchandi, Safiabad, Piao Maniyari, and Saboli closed for traffic movement.
“Border points at Dhansa, Daurala, Kapashera, Rajokri, NH-8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera are open for travel between Delhi and Haryana. Badusarai border is open only for light motor vehicles like cars and two wheelers. Jhatikara border is open only for two wheeler traffic,” said the Delhi Traffic Police.
The closure of borders led to diversion of traffic from Mukarba and GT-Karnal road that led to traffic jams on alternative routes.
Traffic in Ghaziabad too was hit.
District Magistrate Dr Ajay Shankar Pandey and Senior Superintendent of Police, Kalanidhi Naithani, said route diversion has been done for those coming from Ghaziabad to Delhi. “Apart from this, CCTV cameras have also been installed around the venue of the movement to monitor the situation,” said the official.
Saturday, 05 December 2020 | Shekhar Singh| New Delhi
