Wrestlers Stopped from Marching Towards New Parl; Tikait Says 'Farmers Will Enter on Tractors If...'

Security personnel detained protesting wrestlers as they tried to march towards the new Parliament from the site of protest at Jantar Mantar during the inauguration ceremony of the new building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

Earlier today, the spokesperson of the Bhartiya Kisaan Union (BKU) Rakesh Tikait said that thousands of farmers from Uttar Pradesh will gather at Delhi’s Ghazipur border at 10.30 am and enter the national capital to extend their support to the protesting wrestlers’ march towards the new parliament building.

Tikait said if the forces deployed at the houses of workers are not removed by 10:00 am, farmers will leave for Delhi in tractors and enter the national capital from various border points.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in the national capital and multiple layers of barricades put in place as part of the tight security arrangement in and around the new Parliament building.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation said in a statement that all entry and exit gates of Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan metro stations have been closed for passenger movement. Interchange facilities, however, are available at Central Secretariat.

Speaking to ANI about farmers joining the wrestlers’ protest, DCP East Delhi Amrutha Gugulot said Delhi police are prepared for such situations. “We have enough force to deploy. Last time the border was closed for months because of the protesters (farmers’ protests). We have prepared our forces so that such situations don’t arise again. We will convince the protesters to return,” she said.

The security has been amped up near the Singhu border area, Tikri border and Haryana’s Ambala in view of the farmers’ decision to join the protesting wrestlers’ agitation. Members of the Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee trying to enter Delhi were stopped at the Ambala border.

The wrestlers protesting at the Jantar Mantar have said that they will go ahead with their “Mahila Mahapanchayat” near the new parliament building.

Police, however, maintained that no protester will be allowed to move towards the new Parliament building as permission has not been granted to hold the “Mahila Mahapanchayat”. Quoting a senior police officer, news agency PTI reported that security has been tightened, more police forces have been deployed and intensive patrolling is also being carried out across the national capital to ensure that law and order is maintained.

Police have already requested the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to grant permission to create temporary jail in the MC Primary Girls School, Kanjawala Chowk, Old Bawana on Sunday if required.

“Strict vigil is being kept along Delhi’s borders. We have increased our pickets, multiple barricades have been placed and no one will be given entry inside the national capital without being thoroughly checked,” a senior police officer was quoted by PTI as saying.