Situation tense at Ghazipur border. Tikaith in tears while speaking to reporters. Says: Dharna will continue
The situation at Ghazipur Delhi border is tense though under control after the huge contingent of Rapid Action Force, Delhi police and Uttar Pradesh police have been deployed at the Dharna site with majority of the tents having been lifted.
However, the Bhartiya Kisan Union chief Rakesh Tikaith, Yudhvir Singh and about a thousand farmers are still camping at the Dharna site in the cold weather even after the lights and water connection allegedly being disconnected as per the latest news floating in. The entire area at Ghazipur border has been completely cardoned off with hundreds of police personnel fully prepared with batons and in helmet with all the necessary arrangements ready to cope with any critical situation. The VAJR vehicle of Rapid Action Force has also been stationed there including DTC buses in the event of arresting the agitating farmers. There had been every possible positive efforts from the Ghaziabad administration after issuing notice to vacate the Dharna Sthal to deliberate with Rakesh Tikaith and other Kisan leaders but of no avail as all efforts of the SDM Shailendra Singh to request Tikaith failed as the Kisan leaders were adamant to continue their Dharna demanding a high level supreme court sponsored probe to bring to justice those who’d committed secrilege by planting a Sikh flag other than the national flag with Tikaith condemning the act in strongest possible terms. The Ghaziabad administration n the senior officers of Delhi police wanted that farmers n their leaders, amicably and peacefully vacate the Dharna Sthal in order maintain peace and tranquility in the area, especially after the Republic day’s mis happenings n are doing their best to ensure peaceful vacation of the Dharna site.
Later on, speaking to reporters after addressing the protesting farmers at the Dharna Sthal anguished and literally crying Rakesh Tikaith demanded a high level SC judicial probe into the violence on 26th January and punishment to the culprits, especially to the Red Fort incident.
About 394 police personnel have been injured in various locations during the violence on 26 th January while one farmer died and ten injured.
Tikaith allegedly blamed the govt of UP of trying to harass and victimise the farmers fighting for their genuine demands and strategically breaking our movement. He refused to withdraw from the Dharna Sthal saying that the farmers peaceful protest will go on till the three black laws are not withdrawn. About sixty farmers have been martyred during the ongoing protest at various locations due to cold weather, suicides and other reasons say news reports.
According to the latest reports there are large number of fully attentive police force of RAF, Delhi police and UP police with few hundred Kisans present in a secluded tent including BKU leader Rakesh Tikaith n farmers. It may be recalled that the name of Rakesh Tikaith is amongst 37 farmers against whom FIR under various severe sections of IPC have been registered and notices sent to all of them to reply within three days.
It is reportedly said that Tikaith had already been served a notice to surrender within three days apart from the eviction notice from Dharna Sthal. There are also reports that cases against the most controversial Mr Siddhu whose photo with Gurdaspur MP Sunny Deol n higher ups is being circulated in social media has also been registered who’s being accused by Rakesh Tikaith and other farmer leaders as the key mastermind in the Red Fort flag unfurling incident.
Sidhu had been allegedly accused by the Kisan leaders having been strategically infiltrated in the movement to defame the farmers who had been agitating peacefully for the last 62 days.
The Gurdaspur BJP MP Sunny Deol had two days ago tweeted about having no relations with Sidhu after his name n picture appeared in social media in an incident unfurling of a Sikh flag at Red Fort, an unconstitutional act of secrilege, including hurting policemen in duty, being strongly condemned by one and all, including the protesting farmers demanding his arrest and in depth probe by SC judge to bring the actual culprits to the fore.
In the meanwhile two Kisan leaders have withdrawn support from the ongoing movement hailing from BKU factions ( Bhanu) etc after the arbitrary incidents of violence, unconstitutional acts and massive damage to public property including injuries to about 394 police personels on Republic Day, several recuperating in hospitals. The union home minister had visited the hospitals where these injured policemen were admitted and enquired about their health condition. However, the farmers’ leaders say that no minister from the central government has visited the bereaved families of any Farmer who’d died during the last sixty two days of the ongoing movement with a farmer dying today at Tikri border due to cardiac arrest.
It may be recalled that Kisan leader Rakesh Tikaith and other protesting farmers said that if the police wants they can arrest them but they won’t submit to the govt’s pressure until our demands are met. Rakesh Tikaith while expressing his anguish and resentment over the disconnection of electricity and water connections at the Dharna site has vowed not to drink water till the water tanker from his village reaches at the site. Earlier he had announced of going on hunger strike. Meanwhile, there are reports n tweets that he spoke to the Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejrival about the water disconnection and requested him to send the tanker from Jal Board. The water tankers have left for the Ghazipur Dharna site said a person in a twitter vedio and he also assured of all possible help from the Delhi government.
