Noida (UP), Dec 24: Thousands of farmers from western Uttar Pradesh gathered in Noida on Thursday on the call of the Kisan Sena, a farmers’ union supporting the new farm laws, even as the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) which is demanding withdrawal of the legislations dubbed this farmers’ faction as Jaichand — after the 12th century ruler came to be known for treason and treachery. The Kisan Sena supporters, which included members from Agra, Mathura, Hathras, Mainpuri, Firozabad, Meerut and Muzaffarnagar, among other districts, remained on the road at the Mahamaya Flyover in Noida during the afternoon before they all returned to their hometowns.
While a majority of us were prohibited entry into Delhi by the police, a 21-member delegation of the union went to the national capital and met with Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Kisan Sena’s convenor Thakur Gauri Shankar Singh told PTI. He said their demonstration was to apprise Tomar that the farmers union, especially from Punjab and Haryana, protesting at Delhi’s borders do not represent all Indian farmers.
Considering the situation after meeting with the minister (Tomar) and talking to our Agra MP (Rajkumar Chahar) we decided to go back to our homes, Singh said. This demonstration in Noida came even as two major farmers’ unions — the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) and the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) — are camping at the city’s border for over three weeks now to demand the repeal of the three new central farm laws. The demonstration by farmers union in support of the new farm laws was a flop show and that is why they have returned. Such people are proving to be ‘Jaichands’ (the 12th century ruler of Kannauj known for his treason and treachery with Prithviraj Chauhan) who are hurting the cause of farmers, BKU (Lok Shakti) spokesperson Shailesh Kumar Giri said.
The simultaneous protests by those against and in support of the farm laws prompted partial closure of the Noida-Delhi Link Road and diversion on some routes, according to the Noida Traffic Police. The diversion from near Amity University close to Mahamaya Flyover to the Kalindi Kunj route remained in place for over an hour. Later both Kalindi Kunj as well as the DND routes were opened for normal traffic, an official said. One carriageway of the Noida-Delhi Link Road although remained closed. Commuters are allowed to come from Delhi to Noida but the other way round is closed, the official added.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Noida, Ranvijay Singh said the Kisan Sena supporters had gathered in the afternoon and left Noida by evening. There was no major law and order situation except for the traffic obstruction, which got sorted in some time, the officer said. Thousands of farmers are currently staying put at Delhi’s borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in protest against the 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.
They have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations. However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.
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