Farmers on Monday began gathering at Gazipur border between Delhi-Uttar Pradesh for the proposed Kisan Tractor Rally on the eve of Republic Day.
The Delhi Police is making tight security arrangements for the farmers’ tractor parade on Republic Day due to inputs about possible attempts to disrupt the rally.
In a circular, Delhi Police Commissioner SN Srivastava directed that all officers and personnel, as well as Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and others, posted for the Republic Day Parade security arrangements, should be prepared for an extended deployment to maintain law and order in the wake of the tractor parade.
As farmers gear up, here’s all you need to know about the Republic Day tractor rally:
1. Tractors from Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan have reached on Tikri border between Delhi-Haryana as the farmers sit in for protest for nearly two months.
2. The move comes as Delhi Police formally granted permission for the rally on January 26, assigning them routes for the same.
3. Expressing dismay at the routes assigned for the rally, Sukhwinder Singh Sabhra of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee told ANI, “We feel that the kind of permission granted to us for tractor rally is not right. We wanted to go to the old Ring Road but we were given conditional permission and assigned the portion that comes largely under Haryana.”
“All we’re saying we just want to go to Ring Road. We’ll have a meeting with the police today over this. Routes will be decided after that,” the farmer leader further added.
Farmers had proposed to hold the Republic Day tractor rally on Delhi’s Outer Ring Road. However, three routes other than the proposed one were allotted for the rally from three border points of Delhi, informed Special Commissioner of Police (CP), Intelligence in Delhi Police, Dependra Pathak on Sunday.
“The tractor rally will enter Delhi from Tikri, Singhu, and Ghazipur borders and return to its originating points. From Singhu, it will pass through Kanjhawala, Bawana, Auchandi border, KMP Expressway, and then return to Singhu,” Pathak told reporters at a press conference.
4. The farmers’ proposed tractor rally will start after the time period of the Republic Day celebration has ended, the police has said.
5. The tractor parade will feature a number of tableaux from across states depicting village life, the protest against the Centre’s contentious farm laws, and hailing their courage, according to organisers.
6. No one should carry any weapon or drink alcohol. Banners carrying inciting messages are not allowed, reported news agency PTI citing a farmer leader.
Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.