Protesting farmers from Punjab break police barricades in Noida
Farmers from Punjab broke through police barricades near Dalit Prerna Sthal in Noida on Monday, beginning their march towards Delhi to demand a discussion on Minimum Support Price (MSP). Led by the Bharatiya Kisan Parishad, the protesters were initially set to begin their march from Maha Maya flyover. However, police imposed barricades to prevent their entry into Delhi. To ensure safety and reduce disruptions, authorities deployed additional personnel, anti-riot measures, and used drone surveillance at key locations in East Delhi.
Sagar Singh Kalsi, Additional Commissioner of Police, stated that the police had reinforced barricades at all major and minor borders, coordinating with traffic authorities to manage the situation without affecting the public. The protest site show the scale of the farmers' efforts to push through police lines.
The farmers' action came shortly after the Supreme Court urged Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border, to avoid blocking highways. Dallewal is pressing the government to meet farmers' demands, including legal guarantees for MSP, pension provisions for farmers and laborers, a farm debt waiver, and compensation for families of those who died in previous protests.
The protesting farmers, under the banners of Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been protesting at various borders since February, accusing the Centre of neglecting their demands. The farmers also seek the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations and reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013. Despite the ongoing tension, the farmers remain resolute, calling for urgent talks with the government.