'Kisan Mahapanchayat' At Delhi Ramlila Maidan: Scores Of Farmers Gather Amid Heavy Security; Traffic Hit

Protesting farmers are holding their 'Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat' on Thursday at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, for which police has permitted a gathering not exceeding 5,000. Elaborate security arrangements are at place, leading to heavy traffic jam at multiple places in Delhi.

Delhi Police also said that no tractor-trolleys and no march will be allowed at the Ramlila Maidan.

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The umbrella body of farmers' organisations, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which had spearheaded the 2020-21 farmers' protest at Delhi borders against the three central agri laws, has called the 'Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat' at the Ramlila Maidan where, it says, a resolution will be passed to "intensify the fight" against the policies of the government.

The SKM on Tuesday said that the Delhi Police has given them the NOC for conducting the 'mahapanchayat' at Ramlila Maidan on March 14 and arranging parking space and other basic amenities like water, toilets and ambulance with the support of the municipal administration of Delhi.

Meanwhile, a traffic advisory has been issued for the commuters to avoid roads leading to central Delhi.

Farmers' 'Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat' At Delhi's Ramlila Maidan | Key Points

• Farmers Raise Slogans At Ramlila Maidan

Farmers who large numbers gathered at the Ramlila Ground in Delhi for the 'Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat' raised slogans against the Centre at the protest venue.

The number of paramilitary personnel deployed at Delhi's borders was also increased as the farmers have been asked not to come to the capital with their tractor-trolleys, officials said.

Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKWU) leader Rakesh Tikait, who was at Ramlila Maidan, said the leadership will discuss and will announce their decision.

"MSP guarantee law is a big issue. Whatever decision is taken today, the people gathered here would inform about it to people in their respective villages, cities, states. There is a need of a big agitation in the country," Rakesh Tikait said.

• Farmers Allowed To Hold Gathering Of 5,000

Deputy Commissioner of Police (central) M Harsha Vardhan said that farmers are allowed to hold the 'mahapanchayat' with the gathering to not significantly exceed 5,000.

He said the farmers have given them the undertaking where they were asked to not come with tractors, without any weapon and also promised that they will not hold any march in Delhi, a news agency PTI report mentioned.

Another police officer said the farmers have also been asked to vacate the ground as soon as they conclude their programme after 2.30 pm, adding that strict action may be taken if they dont follow the undertakings and indulge in breaking the law and order in Delhi.

"We hope the SKM leadership will abide by the undertaking they have given to us," the DCP said.

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• Traffic Advisory In Delhi

As traffic movement is expected to be hit due to the security arrangements put in place, Delhi Police issued an advisory, with the routes that are likely to get affected.

According to a Delhi Traffic Police statement, these routes are likely to be affected: Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Barakhamba Road, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg, Tolstoy Marg, Asaf Ali Road, Jai Singh Road, Swami Vivekanand Marg, Sansad Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg, Baba Kharag Singh Marg, Minto Road, Ashoka Road, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh flyover, Connaught Circus, Bhavbhuti Marg, DDU Marg and Chaman Lal Marg are.

Traffic Diversion: The advisory said the traffic may be diverted on Delhi Gate, Mir Dard Chowk, Ajmeri Gate Chowk, Guru Nanak Chowk, Kamla Market, Paharganj Chowk, Jhandewalan round about, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh flyover from Barakhambha Road to Guru Nanak Chowk, Barakhamba Road, Janpath Road, KG Marg crossing and round about of GPO (Gol Post Office) from 6 am on Thursday.

The Delhi traffic police also advised the people going towards ISBT, railway station or airport to carefully plan their travel with sufficient time at hand.

Traffic snarls were witnessed in central Delhi on Thursday in view of a farmers' 'mahapanchayat' convened at the Ramlila Ground in Delhi. Vehicles movement was slow, resulting in traffic congestion at ITO, Delhi Gate and Daryaganj among other places.

• About The Farmers' Protest

Scores of farmers, mainly from Punjab, started their 'Delhi Chalo' protest march on February 13 in a bid to enter national capital to keep their demands before the Centre. They were stopped by the security forces, which led to clashes at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points on Haryana-Punjab border.

The protest farmers have been camping at the border points since then. The Kisan Mazdoor Morcha is spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' agitation along with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political).

The three Delhi borders -- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur -- have also been witnessing a heavy deployment of paramilitary personnel to stop the ongoing protest of the farmers demanding to march to Delhi.

The protesting farmers are demanding a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Apart from MSP, farmers are advocating for the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and laborers, farm debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases, justice for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of farmers who died during the previous agitation in 2020-21.