Delhi police barricade Jantar Mantar, barbed wires at Singhu for farmers' daily protest

Barbed wires, wall barricades, and heightened security reappeared at Delhi's Jantar Mantar and Singhu border as Delhi police readied themselves to manage the Farmers' protest against the three contentious laws. Delhi police and the Farmer unions have agreed that 200 farmers will head from the Singhu border daily and protest at Jantar Mantar from 11 AM to 5 PM till the Monsoon Session of Parliament lasts. Farmers have been protesting demanding a rollback of the laws since December 2020 at Delhi's borders - Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur.

Delhi police tightens security

After a meeting between the farmers and the Delhi police, it was decided that the number of protestors won't exceed 200 for Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and 6 for Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee at Jantar Mantar. The farm leaders have assured police in writing that they will protest peacefully from 11 AM to 5 PM daily. The protest has been dubbed as a 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' and will last from July 22 to August 13.

"Farmers from various protest sites will gather at the Singhu border and head towards Jantar Mantar in four to five buses. We'll protest at Jantar Mantar until the Monsoon session of Parliament is over," said Tikait. Incidentally, Parliament is set to take up the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas which will tackle air pollution in National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas - mainly due to stubble burning. Farmers have demanded that law be tweaked, removing the penalty clause for stubble burning.

Farmers protest

Currently, farmers' protest has thinned out at Delhi's borders, but farmers refuse to call it off re-iterating 'No Ghar Wapsi till Law Wapsi'. Farmers held a 'black flag protest' on May 26 to mark six months of protest, burning effigies of the govt. With 13 opposition parties backing protests, NHRC has issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi over the mass gatherings and alleged flouting of COVID-19 appropriate norms. The SC-appointed panel has submitted its report to the apex court after holding several rounds of talks with many farmer unions, trade unions, manufacturers, food processing units etc. While Centre has maintained that they are ready for talks, farmers demand talks without 'conditions'. Talks stalled after 13 rounds, before the January 26 violence at Red Fort.