Farmers' protest: Key Delhi-UP border closed as farmers call for Mahapanchayat at 11 AM

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Naresh Tikait, brother of Rakesh Tikait, has announced that he will hold a Mahapanchayat in stronghold Muzaffarnagar after Police gave an ultimatum to protesting farmers at Ghazipur border to vacate the UP-Gate site.

Hundreds of BKU members stayed put on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway early on Friday. Resultantly the Delhi Traffic Police has informed that the Ghazipur border has been closed on Friday. "Traffic diverted from NH 24, NH 9, Road no 56, 57 A, Kondli, Paper market, Telco T point, EDM Mall, Akshardham and Nizammudin Khatta," The Delhi Traffic Police informed in a tweet.

Traffic Alert

Diversion Point
1. Akhardham Setu towards Akhardham , N H 9
2. Max Hospital cut N.H 24 towards Hassan Pur depot
3. Gazipur Round about towards Anand vihar
4. Paper market towards Mayur vihar Phase . 3rd to avoid Murga Mandi

— Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) January 29, 2021

5. Kondli pul towards Gazipur Round about.

The above diversion point have been open at 10:05 AM
And
From the point of 1.
National Highway no 9
National Highway no 24
Open from upper side U.P Gate towards Ghaziabad, meerut ,Hapur.

— Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) January 29, 2021

Similarly, Singhu, Auchandi, Mangesh, Saboli, Piau Maniyari borders are also closed today. However, Lampur, Safiabad, Singhu school and Palla toll tax borders are opened, the Delhi Traffic Police added.

Singhu & Saboli borders are closed.Auchandi,Lampur, Safiabad,Piau Maniyari,Singhu school&Palla toll tax borders are open. Pl Take alternate route.
Traffic is heavy & diverted from NH44. Pl avoid Outer Ring Road,GTK road& NH 44.@CPDelhi@SplCPTrafficDel@DelhiPolice@dtptraffic

— Addl. CP Traffic, Outer Range, Delhi (@dcptrafficouter) January 29, 2021

Yesterday, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait broke down on national television after the Uttar Pradesh government sent additional forces to the protest site in Ghazipur forcing the protestors to vacate the site.

Tikait announced that he would sit on a hunger strike and only drink water from his village but will not leave the protest site. Tikait alleged that goons were sent to the site, and added, "We wanted the arrest to happen peacefully. But it seems there is a plan to stir violence while protesters return. If there is any such plan, I will remain here. I will face the bullet".

He also told the media that he would rather commit suicide than leave and end the protest against the farm laws.

Following Tiktait's statement that there was a threat to his life, hundreds of his followers gathered outside his home in UP's Sisauli, raising slogans in his support. Rakesh Tikait's brother, Naresh, who left the protest site after the tractor rally, also announced a mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar to decide the future course of action.

Although, Naresh Tikait asked protestors to vacate the Ghazipur site rather than getting beaten up police, later Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Jayant Chaudhary posted on Twitter that his father and party chief Chaudhary Ajit Singh spoke to the Tikait brothers and convinced them to stay united.

Yesterday, by 11 pm, groups of farmers from Meerut, Baraut, Baghpat and Muradnagar reached the site to lend their support to Rakesh Tikait.

Also read: Farmers protest: Delhi Police shuts down traffic on Ghazipur border; requests commuters to take alternate routes

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