Solidarity march at Mandi House by students, activists
NEW DELHI: Members of several student organisations and activist groups gathered at Mandi House on Wednesday for a march in solidarity with the farmers protesting at Delhi borders against the new farm laws.
Carrying placards and posters with slogans that read “Dilli ke log kisano ke sath” and “no farmers, no food”, and shouting slogans against the legislations, nearly 200 protesters gathered at Mandi House around 12.30pm.
They wanted to march till Jantar Mantar, but were stopped by police personnel who then installed barricades across Barakhamba Road.
The protesters refused to disperse immediately and instead carried out a sit-in protest at Mandi House till late evening.
The protest saw at least 21 organisations participate, including the All India Students’ Union (AISA), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), and National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), among others.
Prasenjeet Kumar, AISA national general secretary, said the Centre should accept the farmers’ demands instead of “waging a war” against them.
“The government should immediately retract the complaints filed against the farmer leaders and release those who have been arrested,” Kumar said.
Another protester, Sandeep
Kumar, a Delhi University (DU) student, said, “Not only has the government not been listening to farmers, they have instead put in place several layers of metal and concrete barriers, fixed iron spikes on the road and built concrete walls to stop them. What kind of behaviour is that? We won’t have food to eat if farmers stop working.”
Protesters criticised the Delhi Police for not allowing them to march till Jantar Mantar.
Sucheta De, a member of AICCTU, said, “Why have Delhi Police installewd so many barricades and deployed riot-gear
to stop some students, women, labourers, and activists from carrying out a peaceful march in support of our farmers? Why don’t the police deploy such security when violence actually happens in the city?”
Eish Singhal, DCP (New Delhi), said the protesters were not given permission to carry out a march because the area is a “non-designated protest spot” as per the Supreme Court’s directions, apart from the fact that Section 144 is in place as well. “The organisers were duly conveyed about the same. Adequate arrangements were made to avert an untoward situation.
Around 150 persons assembled at the spot, chanting slogans, singing, and delivering speeches. After prolonged persuasion and being told that assembling here is against law they dispersed on their own and went back. No force was used and no one was detained,” he said.
THE PROTESTERS WANTED TO MARCH TILL JANTAR MANTAR, BUT WERE STOPPED BY POLICE