Chilla border opens as protest called off
NOIDA: The Noida-delhi link road, which was blocked by the supporters of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) since December 1, was reopened on Wednesday night after the farmer group called off 58-day protest at the Chilla border.
The decision of BKU (Bhanu) to end its stir comes a day after the violence by protesting farmers during their tractor rally in Delhi.
The traffic movement resumed on the Noida-delhi side at 9.15pm after the BKU (Bhanu) supporters removed their tents and belongings from the protest site.
Ganesh Saha, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), GB Nagar, said that the Delhi-noida traffic was already open. “From Wednesday 9.15pm, traffic on both sides has opened. We have also removed the barricades from the DND Flyway loop leading to the Chilla border,” he said.
Earlier, Thakur Bhanu Pratap Singh, chief of BKU (Bhanu), said that he was deeply pained by the turn of events in Delhi. “I am pained as some flags other than tricolour were hoisted at the Red Fort by a group of people. I am also pained by the assault on the police personnel. I had started the protest for the welfare of farmers. The situation is volatile, and hence we are ending our protest,” Singh said.
The members of Bku-bhanu had been protesting against the Centre’s three new farm laws at the Chilla border since December 1. The farmers had also set up tents and kitchens to keep the protest going.
After the announcement of withdrawal from the stir, the farmers were seen loading their belongings on tractors and cars and moving to their native places. On Tuesday, around 300 farmers from different districts of Uttar Pradesh had gathered at Chilla border and marched to Delhi in their tractors on the Republic Day. Some of these protesters had left on January 26 evening after the tractor rally turned violent in Delhi.
However, the Bku-bhanu’s UP president and Singh’s son Yogesh Pratap Singh did not appear satisfied at the withdrawal of the protest. “I am leaving the protest site since the senior BKU functionary announced its withdrawal. I smell a conspiracy in breaking farmers’ protest. The Delhi police did not allow us to march towards Akshardham on the Republic Day and they forced us to return to Noida from Mayur Vihar Extension metro station. Why did not the Delhi police stop other farmers from entering Red Fort?” he said.
Meanwhile, Saha said that the traffic police have also tweeted the info so that people can start using the route for commuting to Delhi and vice-versa.
Rajesh S, deputy commissioner of police, Noida Zone 1, said that the farmers’ protest in Noida on the Republic Day remained peaceful and no case was registered against them. “We have not received information of any FIR against them in Delhi as well. The Bku-bhanu group has called off its protest around 4.30pm. They were removing their belongings from the protest sight on Wednesday evening,” he said.
Since the protest had gone violent in Delhi on Tuesday, the farmers’ stir in Noida also lost momentum. However, the Lok Shakti faction of BKU whose about 20 members are protesting at the Dalit Prerna Sthal said on Wednesday that it would continue with its peaceful stir.
SK Giri, spokesperson of BKULOK Shakti, said some anti-social elements tried to hijack farmers’ protest on Tuesday. “Our protest has been completely peaceful since day one. Our tractor rally was also disciplined and there was no unwanted incident. A Noida police team had come to us and asked to withdraw the protest since the Bku-bhanu has withdrawn. But we have planned to continue the protest. We also want the government to add our faction in the negotiation,” he said.