New Delhi, 14 March

Farmers in large numbers gathered at the Ramlila Ground here on Thursday to take part in a 'Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat' that has been convened to protest against the BJP-led Centre's policies regarding the farming sector.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer organisations that spearheaded a protest at Delhi's borders in 2020-21 against three agriculture laws that have since been repealed, has said a resolution will be passed at the "Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat" to "intensify the fight" against the Centre's policies.

The farmers raised slogans against the Union government at the protest venue. Harman Singh, a farmer from Punjab's Patiala, said he arrived in the capital on Wednesday night. "We want the Centre's policies to be pro-farmers. We also want that our demand an MSP (minimum support price) on crops be fulfilled," he said.

Ravinder Singh, a farmer from Punjab's Bathinda, said action should be taken against the accused in violence that erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri in October 2021. "We want action against the person who drove his car over farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri. The family members of the victim should get compensation and a government job," he said.

Baljeet Singh from Patiala said, "We arrived in Delhi on Wednesday night. We went to the Sis Ganj Sahib gurdwara on Thursday morning to pay obeisance. We will go to the Bangla Sahib gurdwara once the programme concludes and subsequently, head back to Punjab."

Police have issued a traffic advisory for commuters to avoid the roads leading to central Delhi in view of the farmers' gathering. The number of paramilitary personnel deployed at Delhi's borders has also been increased as the farmers have been asked not to come to the capital with their tractor-trolleys, officials said.

The Delhi Police has given permission to the farmers to hold the event on the condition that there would not be a gathering of more than 5,000 people. The farmers have also been asked not to bring tractor-trolleys to Delhi and take out a march to the Ramlila Maidan.