New Delhi: While the atmosphere at the Ghazipur border remains tensed amid orders of vacating the protest site and BKU’s Rakesh Tikait refusing to leave, reactions from opposition leaders supporting protesters have come in. ALSO READ | ‘No Arrests Will Happen, I Will Hang Myself’: BKU’s Rakesh Tikait Gets Furious As Police Arrive At Ghazipur Border
In early responses, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh and Shiromani Akali Dal have come out in support of the protesting farmers with their statements.
“It is time to choose a side. My decision is clear. I am with democracy, I am with farmers and their peaceful movement,” Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
At the same time, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra directly called out the pressure put on protestors to leave the protest site. She took to Twitter and wrote, “Yesterday at midnight, there was an attempt to end the farmers’ movement with lathi. Today, farmers are being threatened on Ghazipur, Singhu border. This is contrary to every rule of democracy. The Congress will stand in this struggle with the farmers. Farmers are the interest of the country. Those who want to break them up are traitors”.
“Strict action should be taken against violent elements, but the farmers who have been struggling peacefully for months, the entire power of the people of the country stands with them,” she added.
Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh targetted the Delhi police by writing that they should not use R-Day violence as an excuse to harass farmer leaders.
“Delhi Police should not use the violence on 26th as an excuse to harass genuine farm leaders in order to weaken the agitation. Lookout notices against them must be withdrawn, They’re not corporate raiders like Vijay Mallya or Nirav Modi, but small farmers. Where will they flee?”
BJP’s former ally Shiromani Akali Dal also condemned what it termed attempts to suppress the Kisan Andolan by imposing the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against farmer leaders. The party also took a stance against “the disrespect being shown to Nishan Sahib by miscreants”.
The police arrived at the Ghazipur protest site after Ghaziabad District Magistrate (DM) gave an ultimatum to the protesting farmers to vacate the Ghazipur border protest site by today evening. While issuing the order, DM also said that free transportation will be provided by the administration for farmers to go home. Around 1,200 farmers are protesting at the site. A massive deployment of security forces has taken place at the Ghazipur border protest site.
