Anticipating march by farmers, Delhi police ups security at border points

The Delhi Police on Saturday tightened security arrangements across borders of the national capital in view of the anticipated protest march by farmers, officials said.

Saturday marks the completion of seven months of the protests by the farmers, ever since they began their stir by camping at Singhu border between Delhi and Haryana. The other two protest sites on the national capital's borders are Tikri and Ghazipur.

The protesting farmers have demanded the withdrawal of the Centre's new farm laws and that a new law be made to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

The Delhi Metro has decided to shut its three main stations on the Yellow Line for four hours on Saturday.

"As advised by Delhi Police, in view of security reasons, three Metro stations of Yellow Line namely, Vishwavidyalaya, Civil Lines and Vidhan Sabha will remain closed for public from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm tomorrow i.e, 26.06.2021 (Saturday)," the DMRC had tweeted Friday night.

According to a statement by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions protesting at various Delhi border points, Kheti Bachao, Loktantra Bachao Diwas (save agriculture, save democracy) is being marked all over India on Saturday on the completion of seven months of the farmers' protests and 46 years after promulgation of Emergency in India in 1975.

Thousands of farmers across India plan to march in rallies to Raj Bhavans in different states on Saturday. As an expression of solidarity, one such rally is also being planned in Massachusetts, USA, it said.

Thousands of farmers from Saharanpur and Sisauli in western Uttar Pradesh reached Ghazipur Gate led by BKU chief Rakesh Tikait. Protests by farmers growing wheat, sugarcane, mango, apple, green gram, paddy, jowar and others continue in different parts of the country for remunerative guaranteed prices, the statement said.

The representatives of farmers will also seek to submit memoranda to governors in various states on Saturday.