Police resorted to tear gas, water cannons and mild lathicharge as the thousands of farmers tried to enter Delhi near Ghaziabad on Tuesday.
The situation grew tense when despite police warnings, the farmers tried to break the barricade in their attempt to enter the national capital. TV visuals showed violent faceoff between farmers and the police near UP Gate at Delhi’s Ghazipur area. Anticipating trouble, Delhi Police had imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in East Delhi.
The protesting farmers have demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices.
National Highways leading to the national capital were swamped with farmers who came in from places as far as Gonda, Basti and Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh as well as the sugarcane belt of western Uttar Pradesh.
Police picketed the border with Uttar Pradesh, imposing prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more people and holding of any public meeting, usage of any amplifier, loudspeaker, and similar instruments.
The Kisan Kranti Yatra, which began from Tikait Ghat in Haridwar on September 23, was joined by farmers from various parts of Uttar Pradesh.
They came on foot, in buses and tractor trolleys.
They carried banners of Bhartiya Kisan Union, which gave the call for the march to press for a series of demands.
"We are not seeking any alms from the government. We want our right," said Harmik Singh, a farmer who came from Meerut.
Farmers are in distress because of high electricity prices and fuel rates shooting through the roof, he said. "Aap ko 500 rupiya ka gas theek lagta hai? (Does LPG price of Rs 500 sound right to you," he asked.
Another farmer claimed over 3 lakh peasants are marching towards Rajghat.
Their list of demands include unconditional loan waiver for farmers, clearing of dues by sugar mills, higher prices for crops, free electricity for farms and a cut in diesel prices.
Naresh Tikait, president of Bharatiya kisan union who is leading the protest is the son of former kisan leader Mahendra Singh Tikait, who had brought Delhi to a standstill during a similar protest in 1988. Five lakh farmers had camped at boat club, turning India Gate into a virtual cow shed with farmers cooking and tending to their cattle right in the middle of Indian Gate.
(With agency inputs)
