#KisanKrantiPadyatra: To stop protesting-farmers, Delhi police uses water-cannons, tear gas
The Kisan Kranti Padyatra turned violent on Tuesday as Delhi Police used water cannons and tear gas on protesting farmers to stop them from entering the National Capital. Thousands of farmers were stopped at Delhi-UP border by police. The farmers are demanding loan waivers and free electricity. Bharatiya Kisan Union, which organized the padyatra, asked why were they stopped. Here's more about this.
Naresh Tikait, the President of the Union, said the rally was going on in a disciplined manner. "If we don't tell our government about our problems then whom do we tell? Do we go to Pakistan or Bangladesh?" he asked. The farmers got support from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who said the farmers must be allowed to enter the capital.
#WATCH Visuals from UP-Delhi border where farmers have been stopped during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra'. Police use water cannons to disperse protesters after protesters broke the barricades pic.twitter.com/9KUwKgvrwW
— ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018
To prevent any untoward incident, prohibitory orders have been issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh. Meanwhile, in some areas of Delhi-UP border, Section 144 of CrPc has been imposed, and heavy security deployed. The traffic on Sansad Marg has been closed as a result of this protest. Some reports claim police resorted to lathi charge to stop farmers.
The march began from Tikait Ghat in Haridwar on September 23, and with time thousands of farmers joined the protest. Scenes of farmers walking or traveling in buses and tractors dotted the Delhi-UP border. A farmer from Meerut claimed they didn't want alms from the government, but their rights. Another asked if Rs. 500 for LPG was correct.
"This government has not fulfilled the promises it made to farmers, so it is all but natural that farmers would protest. It is unfortunate and we fully support the farmers," said Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.
