Farmer leaders remain steadfast on R-Day tractor rally

By Joymala Bagchi
New Delhi [India], January 19 : Farmer leaders on Tuesday after a meeting with top police officials of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana said they are standing firm on their decision to go ahead with their tractor rally inside Delhi on Republic Day.
Police top brass who attended the meeting are believed to have told the farmer leaders that they will rethink their decision about the decision of the farmers to hold the tractor rally in Delhi on January 26. Another meeting to discuss the same is likely to be held in a day or two.
Darshan Pal, President of Krantikari Kisan Union said there would not be any change in the proposed rally.
"We have told the officials that lakhs of tractors will be on Ring Road as scheduled and have assured them that the rally will be a peaceful one. The police officials said that they will think over it and another set of the meeting on this particular issue is going to be held in a day or two" Pal told ANI.
The farmer union leader also stated that the road plan is yet to be finalised as tractors and farmers would begin arriving from the six borders of the national capital.
The meeting that started at 11 lasted for an hour in which traffic movement, ambulance movements and other issues were discussed.
The farmer leaders said: "The police had their usual concerns and we have said that we will address all those concerns while remaining firm on what we have planned."
The meeting was attended by Special Commissioners of Police -- Sanjay Singh and Dipendra Pathak, police officials from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana and Kisan leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal, Darshanpal, Rajender Singh, Jagjit Singh, and Yogendra Yadav among others.
Meanwhile, the first meeting of the Supreme Court-constituted committee was held only among committee members at Pusa Institute here today.
In a meeting held late at night yesterday, it was decided to postpone the next round of scheduled meetings between representatives of farmer unions and government by a day. The meeting has been fixed for tomorrow at 2 p.m.
The talks between the farmers and the government to date, have remained inconclusive with scores of farmers continuing to sit at various borders across Delhi as a mark of protest against the Centre's three new Farm laws for the 55th consecutive day.
Demand by around 40 farmer unions to repeal the farm laws stands steadfast amid several adversities and rounds of talks with the Centre.