Farmers protest rages on at Ghazipur border despite heightned security & barricades

After Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait's emotional appeal to protesters to continue the protests, thousand of farmers gathered at Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, despite the increase in the number of barricades. The two-month-long protest has regained strength after an increased number of tents set up are witnessed at the protest site. On January 31, Delhi police tighten their security by blocking roads near Akshardham.

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A Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) member said that since the last three days Tikait has been sleeping only for around three hours a day. Earlier he complained of blood pressure issues but is doing well now, reported PTI. Farmers at the borders took out marches, carried tricolours and raised slogans, a group of youths gathered at a spot near the Delhi-Meerut expressway and danced to patriotic songs till the sun went down.

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Sukhbir Singh Badal, Shiromani Akal Dal chief visited Ghazipur border to extend his support to the farmers. Badal, whose party quit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition over the passage of contentious farm bills, met Tikait for around 10 minutes.

After witnessing the not so peaceful protest on January 26 in Delhi, the Ghazipur administration issued an ultimatum to the protesters to vacate the stretch of the Delhi-Meerut expressway, on Wednesday. As the security presence at the protest site escalated, an emotional Tikait broke down while addressing to media as the farmers feared they would be forcibly evicted. He said that the protest will continue and threatened to end his life.

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BKU leader continues to politicise farm laws

After Tikait's emotional breakdown more number of farmers kept arriving from their hometown for their beloved leader. According to a BKU member's estimate, over 10,000 farmers have gathered at the UP Gate protest site on Sunday, reported PTI.  A layer of barbed wire fencing was added to the existing multi-layered barricading at the protest site. But that couldn't keep people from reaching the area where farmers have been camping since late November.

Thousands of farmers have been protesting at Delhi’s borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh over the removal of farm laws. However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and introduce new technologies in agriculture.

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(With PTI Inputs)