Delhi Police, farmer leaders to meet on July 20 ahead of call for protest at Jantar Mantar

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New Delhi: There will be no 'gherao' in Parliament during the proposed farmers' protest against the centre's farm bills on July 22, said Bharatiya Kisan Morcha (R) leader Balbir Singh Rajewal after Delhi Police denied permission for the protest.

While speaking to ANI, Rajewal said that the farmer union had met with Delhi Police today at the Mantram resort near the Singhu border and sought permission for a 'kisan sansad' in Jantar Mantar, where about 200 protesters will gather. "We have shared our program with the Delhi Police. From July 22, 200 farmers will reach Jantar Mantar by bus and hold a Kisan sansad. There has never been talk of any type of gherao to the Parliament," the farmer leader said. 

"Farmers who will go to Jantar Mantar will be given ID cards from the Kisan United Front. Anyone who does not have an ID card will not be allowed to participate," he added. Farmer unions are planning to protest from July 22 till the end of the Parliament's Monsoon Session to demand the scrapping of the contentious farm laws and a legal guarantee on MSP.

According to police sources, Delhi Police officials suggested that farmers consider alternative venues in the national capital for the protest. Another farmer leader from Madhya Pradesh Shivkumar Kakka said, "We told the Delhi Police that 200 people will march to Parliament from Singhu border every day. Each person will have an identification badge. We`ll hand over a list of protesters to the government." 

"The police asked us to reduce the number of protestors, which we declined. If they don't give permission we will go by force," he added. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait had on Wednesday said that the protest would be 'peaceful'. However, the country witnessed violence on Republic Day when protestors reached Red Fort as a part of their 'tractor rally' protest. 

Earlier, on January 26, protesters had broken barricades to enter New Delhi and clashed with police in several parts of the national capital during the `tractor rally` protest organised by farmers. The protestors had also entered the iconic Mughal era monument Red Fort and unfurled their flags from its ramparts.

The Delhi Police has written to the Delhi Metro Railway Corporation to keep extra vigil at seven metro stations and close them if needed, in view of farmers' protest near Parliament tomorrow. 

Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers` Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains.