Farmers plan 'Delhi Chalo' protest march amid heavy security arrangements
- In Reports
- 12:58 PM, Dec 02, 2024
- Myind Staff
Various farmer organisations, including the Bharatiya Kisan Parishad (BKP), Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM-non-political), have announced a protest march to Delhi starting Monday to demand fair compensation and benefits under the new agricultural laws. BKP leader Sukhbir Khalifa stated that the march aims to secure better deals for farmers.
In a broader demonstration of solidarity, farmer unions in Kerala, Uttarakhand, and Tamil Nadu will also stage symbolic marches to their respective legislative assemblies on December 6. The farmers are pressing for a 10% allocation of plots, a 64.7% increase in compensation under the previous land acquisition law equivalent to four times the market rate and a 20% allocation of plots for land acquired after January 1, 2014. They are also demanding employment and rehabilitation benefits for the children of landless farmers, implementation of directives issued by the High Power Committee and proper arrangements for resettling inhabited areas.
Ahead of the ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest march, a 3-tier security arrangement has been implemented. Noida’s Additional Commissioner of Police, Shivhari Meena, detailed the measures in place, saying, "We are in constant talks with farmers regarding the 'Delhi Chalo' march. Yesterday also we spoke to them for 3 hours. We have also prepared a 3-tier security plan...around 5,000 Police personnel are conducting checking at various locations...we have also issued traffic advisory...around 1,000 PSC personnel have also been deployed, there are arrangements of water cannons."
The security setup includes 5,000 police personnel and 1,000 members of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PSC). Water cannons, fire squads and traffic management units are on standby to address any emergencies. Vehicle inspections have also intensified and traffic advisories have been issued to mitigate disruptions.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has appealed to the farmers to resolve their concerns through dialogue. Speaking on Sunday at an event commemorating the 138th birth anniversary of Raja Mahendra Pratap, Dhankhar remarked, "We must remember that we don’t fight with our own, we don’t deceive our own. Deception is for the enemy, while our own are to be embraced. How can one sleep peacefully when farmers’ issues are not being resolved swiftly? I am pleased that Agriculture Minister Shivraj Chouhan has already held discussions, and we are actively working on it. I appeal to my farmer brothers to understand that in this country, issues are resolved through dialogue and mutual understanding."
The farmers’ march and the government’s responses highlight the ongoing tensions over agricultural policies and land acquisition laws, as both sides seek resolution through their respective approaches.
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