Farmers' Protest: Section 144 Clamped For Entire Month In Delhi, Bawana Stadium Conversion To Jail Rejected
In order to maintain law and order, around 10,000-15,000 police personnel, including reserve forces, have been deployed at the Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur borders.
New Delhi: Barricades being put up at Ghazipur border in view of farmers' march to the national capital, in New Delhi, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (PTI Photo)
Restrictions have been imposed by the police in Delhi under Section 144 of CrPC for a month, starting from Tuesday. This decision has been taken in light of the farmers' protest call, with the aim of prohibiting any unlawful gathering. The prohibitory orders, which will be in effect until March 12, ban the organization, convening, or participation in any procession, demonstration, rally, or march on foot for political, social, or any other purpose within the limits of Delhi. The police have justified these orders by stating that there is an imminent risk of widespread tension, public nuisance, social unrest, and the potential for violence due to the participants of the march threatening to enter Delhi. To tackle the protesters and their modified tractors, the police have procured equipment such as belt cutters.
In order to maintain law and order, around 10,000-15,000 police personnel, including reserve forces, have been deployed at the Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur borders. Additionally, the police were also planning to convert the Bawana stadium in northwest Delhi into a temporary jail. however, the demand was rejected by the Delhi government. Delhi Government Home Minister Kailash Gehlot said, "The demands of the farmers are genuine. It is the constitutional right of every citizen to make a peaceful protest. It is therefore incorrect to arrest the farmers..."
Farmers' Protests - 10 key points
- Farmers will march towards Delhi on Tuesday after a meeting with two Union ministers over their demands, including legal guarantee to MSP for crops, remained inconclusive.
- Authorities in Haryana have fortified the state's borders with Punjab at many places in Ambala, Jind, Fatehabad, Kurukshetra and Sirsa using concrete blocks, iron nails and barbed wire to scuttle the proposed march.
- The Haryana government has also imposed restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC in as many as 15 districts, prohibiting the assembly of five or more people and banning any kind of demonstration or march with tractor trolleys.
- The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have announced that farmers will head to Delhi on Tuesday to press the Centre to accept their demands, including the enactment of a law to guarantee a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.
- The farmers have announced to start the march at 10 am. They plan to head to Delhi from the Ambala-Shambhu, Khanauri-Jind and the Dabwali borders.
- The farmers have announced to start the march at 10 am. They plan to head to Delhi from the Ambala-Shambhu, Khanauri-Jind and the Dabwali borders. Additionally, drones and CCTV cameras are being used to monitor miscreants and mischievous elements, said a spokesperson.
- Besides massive deployment of police and paramilitary personnel equipped with anti-riot gears, multiple layers of barricades, concrete blocks, iron nails and walls of containers have been put up at three border points Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur.
- Haryana govt too has already converted two large stadiums in Sirsa and Dabwali into makeshift jails ahead of the march.
- Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday stressed that the farmers' demand should be met without any delay. AAP's Delhi Convenor Gopal Rai alleged that to prevent the Delhi march of the farmers on the 13th, government of Haryana is treating the farmers in a cruel manner.
- Commuters traveling via cars and LGVs towards Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal, and other destinations via NH-44 are advised to consider alternative routes. These include taking exits from NH-44 at Alipur Cut to Shani Mandir, then proceeding to Palla Bakhtawarpur Road, Dahisara Village Road, and Singhu Stadium before reaching NH-44 towards Sonipat.
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