Farmers to celebrate R-Day in Delhi. The unprecedented farmers rally to be held on Republic Day is drawing huge response and the police in several states, including Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, are scrambling to keep order. In Uttar Pradesh, farmers on way to Delhi broke through barricades at Baghpat. The Haryana Police said it would not stop anyone this time. The Delhi Police, which gave permission for the rally after much back and forth, said anti-national elements are trying to take advantage of the rally. The rally will mark the completion of two months of protest against the Centre's contentious farm laws by farmers camped on the borders of Delhi. On Budget day, February 1, the farmers are planning a foot march to Parliament.
Rajasthan farmers are trying their best to maintain discipline during the proposed tractor rally in Delhi on January 26 to protest the new farm laws as detailed guidelines issued on Monday mention the well-defined route with specific markers which need to be followed by farmers to drive their tractors.
Also the guidelines speak of police and traffic volunteers wearing green jackets whose instructions they will have to follow.
Further, the farmers are being asked to carry their union flag along with the tricolour but no political party flag will be allowed during the rally.
These are a few guidelines issued by the Sanyukta Kisaan Morcha in Rajasthan for the tractor rally.
Other to-do tasks issued in the guidelines say all farmers should follow the instructions as given by the traffic volunteers wearing green jackets and should pack ration and water to sustain themselves for around 24 hours. Also, they should make arrangements to protect themselves from cold in case they are stuck in traffic jams in cold weather.
No farmer should carry any kind of weapon, sticks etc. Further, there should not be any banner with any provocative or negative slogans. Tractors and other vehicles will be allowed in the parade, but the trolleys will not go. However, trolleys with special tableaux may be exempted.
The route of the parade has been decided. It will have special markers. Police and traffic volunteers will guide them. Action will be taken against any vehicle which tries to go off route.
“We are going to make history. We have never carried out a parade like this but this time we need to show our pain to the country and the world via this parade and tell them the truth regarding the three anti-farmer laws. We have to keep in mind that there should not be any kind of violence in this historic parade. Our parade should be completed peacefully. Remember, we are not going to win Delhi, but we are going to win the hearts of the people of the country,” the Sanyukta Kisaan Morcha said in a press note.
Sanjay Madhav, spokesperson, Sanyukta Kisaan Morcha said, “We are expecting a minimum of 1,000 tractors to reach Delhi from Rajasthan however this number may also touch 5,000. We are updating our list and will finalise the numbers by Monday night. But 1,000 are confirmed as of now.”
In the view of the farmers’ protest and the Republic Day celebrations, the Gurugram police have stepped up security arrangements and special instructions have been given to the police force to keep a vigil on suspicious elements, senior Gurugram police official said.
“Around 40 police checkpoints have been erected across the district and along with border areas. Apart from this, the police personnel, a unit of the ITBP and Harayana police commandos have been deployed at the key locations. Also, duty of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) rank officers have been ensured on rotation basis,” said a senior police official.
Also, ACPs and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCPs) will continue patrolling in their respective areas on a rotational basis. The farmers and other social organisations in Gurugram will not be allowed to go the national capital on tractors, the officer said.
Several farmers’ outfits are agitating in Delhi from last 61 days against the three agricultural laws. They have also planned a tractor parade on January 26 in Delhi. In view of this, the police have to keep an eye on both the farmers’ movement and Republic Day celebrations simultaneously.
However, the district police have already deployed 4,000 police personnel across the district and a three-layer security has been placed around Tau Devilal Stadium Sector-38 in Gurugram where the Republic Day celebrations will be organised.
Moreover, a number of policemen have been deployed in the Manesar near NSG campus and Panchgaon Chowk on the Delhi-Jaipur expressway so that the farmers coming from Rewari to Gurugram do not proceed beyond these security points.
ACP (Traffic) Sanjeev Balhara has been pressed into service in the Manesar NSG campus Similarly, the responsibility of other ACPs has also been fixed. At these points, a unit of the ITBP along with the Gurugram police personnel have been stationed. Also, officials from the intelligence and crime branch units have been placed in civil dress to keep an eye on anti-social elements.
Apart from this, policemen have also been deployed in uniform and plain clothes in all the crowded areas including Sadar Bazar. The police strength has been increased around metro stations, railway stations, bus stands and crowded places.
“In view of the Republic Day celebrations, the entry of heavy vehicles from Gurugram border in Delhi has been banned from 3 p.m. on Sunday till 4 p.m. on January 26. Transporters have been appealed not to take heavy vehicles to Delhi. Traffic policemen have been deployed at the Delhi-Gurugram border on the Delhi-Jaipur expressway, who will bar heavy vehicles no to enter the national capital. The suspects are being specially monitored. Hotels and guest houses are being searched,” said Preet Pal Sangwan, ACP (crime).
After getting permission to organise a tractor rally in Delhi on Republic Day, the farmers’ union has issued guidelines so that the parade is carried out in a peaceful manner.
The SKM said that the parade will be led by the vehicles of the farmers’ leaders and everybody has to follow the instructions of the traffic volunteers, who will be deployed at every junction.
“The route of the parade has been decided. Police and traffic volunteers will guide the farmers. Action will be taken against the vehicles which will try to violate the route,” the SKM said.
If any vehicle tries to block the road without any reason, the volunteers will remove the blockade, it said. All the vehicles will return after completing the parade.
“Only five people including the driver will be allowed on a tractor. No one will be allowed to sit on the bonnet, bumper or roof of the tractor. All the tractors will be driving in a line. No one will race with each other and no one will be allowed to go ahead of the vehicles of the farmers’ leaders,” the SKM said in the guidelines.
Apart from this, the drivers won’t be allowed to play music in the tractors so that it will make easy for others to listen to the instructions during the parade. The SKM also said that no one will be allowed to consume any intoxicants and if someone is found doing so, the traffic volunteers should be informed immediately.
The farmers’ leaders said: “We have to grace the Republic Day, win the hearts of the public. Everyone should take care that women are being treated respectfully. The police will be on its duty so no one should fight with them. Apart from this, there should be no misbehaviour with the media, irrespective of the channel and garbage should not be thrown on the roads and rather everyone should carry a separate bag for it.”
The SKM also said that they have done all the preparations for any emergency so nobody should worry about anything.
“Ambulances have been arranged and arrangements with the hospitals have also been made so in case of medical emergency, farmers can call on the helpline number or tell the nearest volunteer,” it said.
“The farmers can also contact the volunteers in case their vehicle or tractor breaks down. The helpline number will be open 24 hours,” the SKM added. (IANS)