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New Delhi, June 26 (PTI): Farmer leaders on Saturday virtually spoke to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal after they claimed they weren't allowed to meet him and submitted to his representative a memorandum addressed to the president demanding repeal of the three farm laws.
Farmers had given a call for a protest march from Civil Lines metro station to the Raj Bhawan, a senior police officer said, adding that the Delhi Police tightened security across borders of the national capital in view of the anticipated march.
The SKM alleged in a statement that protestors were not allowed to meet the LG, and were picked up and taken to the Wazirabad Police Training Centre. Later on, a brief virtual meeting was arranged with the LG and the memorandum was handed over to his representative, it said.
"The memorandum included our demands for withdrawal of the three farms laws and demand for a new law to ensure guarantee for MSP," BKU media incharge Dharmendra Malik told PTI.
Earlier hundreds of farmers from interiors of Uttar Pradesh reached Ghazipur to mark the completion of seven months of the protest. Many of them came on tractors.
"Adequate police deployment was made at the site in view of the increased gathering of protestors," a police official said.
A protestor from Moradabad and affiliated to the BKU, said he has been associated with the movement for seven months and intended to continue the stir till the farmers demands were not met.
"Tikait saahab has told us that we have to keep making efforts especially on the 26th of every month in order for the government to listen to our demands," he said.
Earlier in the day, reports about the arrest of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait were circulating on social media. The Delhi Police clarified that the reports were fake and said action would be taken against those spreading such news.
"Fake news! News related to arrest of Rakesh Tikait is incorrect. Pl stay away from such fake news/tweets. Action will be taken for spreading such false news/tweets," Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) tweeted.
BKU media in-charge Malik also said that Tikait had not been arrested.
"Tikait was not arrested by the police. He's still at the Ghazipur protest site where demonstration is underway against the farm laws. There is no conflict situation at the protest site," Malik said.
The Delhi Metro decided to shut down three main stations on the Yellow Line for four hours on Saturday.
"As advised by the Delhi Police, in view of security reasons, three metro stations of Yellow Line namely, Vishwavidyalaya, Civil Lines and Vidhan Sabha, will remain closed for public from 10 am to 2 pm tomorrow i.e, 26.06.2021 (Saturday)," the DMRC had tweeted on Friday night.
Saturday marks the completion of seven months of protests by the farmers. They began their stir by camping at Singhu border between Delhi and Haryana, besides at Tikri and Ghazipur borders.
The protesting farmers have demanded the withdrawal of the Centre's farm laws and that a new law be made to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.
The farmers representatives marched towards the Raj Bhavan in different states to submit memoranda, addressed to the president, to governors on Saturday. They alleged that their members were detained in several parts of across the country while marching.
According to a statement by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions protesting at Delhi border points, "Kheti Bachao, Loktantra Bachao Diwas" (save agriculture, save democracy) was marked all over India on Saturday on the completion of seven months of the farmers' protests and 46 years of promulgation of the Emergency in India.
It said thousands of farmers across India planned to march in rallies to Raj Bhavans in different states on Saturday. As an expression of solidarity, one such rally was also being planned in Massachusetts, USA, it said.
Thousands of farmers from Saharanpur and Sisauli in western Uttar Pradesh reached Ghazipur Gate led by BKU chief Rakesh Tikait. Protests by farmers growing wheat, sugarcane, mango, apple, green gram, paddy, jowar and others continued in different parts of the country for remunerative guaranteed prices, the statement said.