Uttar Pradesh police confront farmer leaders headed towards Delhi

Image Courtesy:hindupost.in

The unique and powerful tractor rally conducted by thousands of farmers, from various borders of Delhi into various villages of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, etc., is being seen as an example of a well organised peaceful show of solidarity. However some incidents of farmers being stopped by Uttar Pradesh administration and police force have also been reported on social media.

One of the biggest examples of state might was a video clip shared on social media when a posse of policemen tried to stop UP farmers from driving on and eventually joining the protests on Delhi borders. This confrontation is stated to be from Bulandshahr district. The heated argument between cops blocking the path of the farmers on tractors, is self explanatory. The person on the tractor was identified as Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Mangeram Tyagi, who along with other farmers were on their way to Delhi when they were stopped.

Police trying to stop UP farmers from joining protests in Delhi. Scene from Bulandshahr district. Heated argument between cops and farmers on tractors. pic.twitter.com/mZkjHGYyes
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) January 7, 2021

Another such incident was reported from Sitapur, where a farmer is seen being confronted by UP police officers who are accusing him of “having no control” over his followers participating in the rally. An angry police officer can be seen telling the farmer “I will rip your covering/awning off (तुम्हारा छज्जा गिरवा दूंगा!).” The farmer on the other hand is addressing the policemen as “saheb (sir)” and saying his followers are following the law but some “outsiders” may have also infiltrated the rally. The policemen however, did not seem to be in a mood to listen.

#Sitapur : किसानों को #Police की धमकी- तुम्हारा छज्जा गिरवा दूंगा ! #kisanandolan #UPPolice pic.twitter.com/fqcvHm126b
— भारत समाचार (@bstvlive) January 7, 2021

Meanwhile, AIKSCC told SabrangIndia that farmer leader Ramzan Chaudhary who was to lead the Rewasan to Palwal farmers’ group was detained by Haryana police at Rewari. Other farmers in the area who headed towards Rewari from Shahjahanpur have also been kept from proceeding towards the tractor march. Farmer leaders have called Thursday’s march a “dress rehearsal” of what is to happen on January 26, Republic Day, if the central government does not accept farmers’ demands for repeal of the three farm laws, and make a binding legal commitment to Minimum Support Price (MSP.)