Security beefed up in Delhi ahead of farmers' protest
The Delhi Police has tightened security across the national capital Delhi ahead of farmers' scheduled protest on Monday. The deployment of security personnel has also been augmented at the Delhi-Haryana Tikri border following the call to protest at the Jantar Mantar, as per India Today. The police have put up cemented barricades at the Tikri border, it said.
Why does this story matter?
The fresh protest comes months after the victory march by farmers that marked the end of the 15-month-long agitation last year following the revocation of farm laws by the Centre. It also led to the reopening of Delhi's borders allowing easier entry and exit from the national capital. However, some demands remained unmet, especially the implementation of maximum support price.
Protest in Lakhimpur Kheri from Thursday
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella group of farmers, had already announced the beginning of a 75-hour sit-in protest in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, from Thursday in order to press for their unfulfilled demands. SKM is a conglomerate of around 40 agricultural groups that are mainly focused on ensuring that minimum support prices (MSP) for commodities are implemented correctly.
Images of security arrangement by Delhi Police
Kisan union leader taken into preventive custody ahead of protest
Meanwhile, Rakesh Tikait, the spokesperson of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) has been taken into preventive custody at Madhu Vihar Police Station ahead of the protest. "The Delhi Police cannot suppress the voice of the farmers," Tikait tweeted. "At the behest of the Centre, the Delhi Police did not allow them to meet the unemployed youth. # will fight _ will win," he added.
Look at the Tikait's tweet here
Major farmers' protest started on July 31
On July 31, farmers from Punjab had earlier blocked the railway track at Vallah in Amritsar, and protested against the Centre at Shambhu toll plaza in Ambala, Barwala in Panchkula, and Cheeka in Kaithal to press for their unfulfilled demands.
