Tough to follow police cap of 5,000 farmers: SKM

Thousands of farmers, agriculture workers, and rural people are heading to the national capital for Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM)'s All India Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat at Ramlila Maidan on Thursday.

On Tuesday, Delhi Police allowed farmers to hold their 'Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat' with the condition that the gathering not exceed 5,000, no tractor trolleys, no Ramlila Maidan march, and made elaborate security arrangements that may cause traffic jams in the national capital.

The police have also issued traffic advisory for the commuters to avoid roads leading to central Delhi, they said.


Talking to ET, SKM leader Darshan Pal said, "thousands of farmers are coming to the national capital from buses and trains without tractors. We would try to follow the police restrictions but since it is a mass gathering, it looks unlikely that numbers could be restricted."

SKM is an umbrella body of farmers' organisations, which had spearheaded the 2020-21 farmers' protest at Delhi borders against the three central agri laws.

They had announced to hold a 'Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat' at the Ramlila Maidan where a resolution will be passed to "intensify the fight" against the policies of the government.

Police officials said farmers have given them the undertaking where they were asked to not come with tractors, without any weapon and also promised that they will not hold any march in Delhi and have also been asked to vacate the ground soon after the culmination of their programme after 2.30 pm.

Meanwhile hundreds of farmers belonging to SKM (non-political) an offshoot of SKM have been staying put at the Punjab-Haryana borders for the past one month protesting for a law to guarantee MSP on all farmers produce.