Hundreds of farmers from Uttar Pradesh, marching to Kisan Ghat in the national capital for payment of sugarcane dues, loan waivers and cheap electricity, were stopped at the Delhi-UP border on Saturday, 21 September, while a delegation was allowed to meet officials at the Krishi Bhavan.
The farmers, protesting under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Sangathan, squatted on roads as Uttar Pradesh authorities put up barricades on NH-9 and NH-24 and diverted traffic heading towards Delhi, PTI reported.
A large number of security and paramilitary and fire brigade personnel were deployed apart from ambulances stationed in the area.
The farmers started their march from Saharanpur on 11 September. On reaching Noida on Friday, they held talks with government representatives but failed to resolve the issues.
Protestors Stopped at Border, Priyanka Gandhi Slams BJP
Alok Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Easter Range), said in the afternoon that the protestors have been stopped at Delhi-UP border but the traffic situation was normal.
"One delegation has gone to meet officials in the national capital," Kumar said, according to PTI.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted about the protestors being stopped, hitting out at the BJP, and questioning why they were being stopped from marching to Delhi to voice their demands.
She also questioned why, considering that the BJP openly speaks about farmer welfare in their campaign, the farmers were not being allowed to raise their demands for sugarcane arrears, loan waiver and cut in electricity prices.
Govt Agrees to Some Demands
The farmers have 15 demands, including cheap electricity for irrigation and waiving of loans. They also demand the implementation of Swaminathan Committee's recommendations.
The farmers have decided to stage a hunger strike if their demands are not met even after the march.
Puran Singh, president of the Bhartiya Kisan Sangathan, was quoted by ANI as saying that the government has agreed to five of the fifteen demands. He added that the agitation has not been called off yet.
“We will meet the PM after 10 days for the remaining demands,” he said, according to ANI.
“If they agree to all of our demands we will call off the agitation and if not, we will start an agitation from Saharanpur again,” Singh added.
UP Govt Asks Sugar Mills to Clear Dues by 31 October
The farmers started their march with 15 demands, including for the dues from sale of sugarcane to be settled within two weeks, after talks with the Union agriculture ministry failed on Friday, PTI reported.
The Uttar Pradesh government has set 31 October as deadline for sugar mills to clear dues of cane growers, minister of sugarcane development and sugarcane mills Suresh Rana said, warning strict action against defaulters.
Rana said two sugar mills, Tikola and Mansurpur, of a total 17 in the Saharanpur district has cleared their dues, while three others – Sarsawa, Deoband and Nanota – have paid back 90 percent of the dues.
The state government was taking all necessary measures to ensure full payment to the farmers, Rana added.
Meanwhile, Muzaffarnagar's Cane Officer RD Divedi said that two mills in the district have made full payment to the farmers, while six others are yet to settle dues amounting to Rs 318.13 crore.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI.)
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