Hundreds of farmers arrested, police reinforcements in place

NOida: Scores of protesting farmers were arrested by police while trying to enter the national Capital, Delhi, to press their long-pending demands on Tuesday.

The farmers have long sought higher compensation and developed residential plots for lands acquired by Noida Authority, Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA), and Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA). Various agricultural organisations, including Bhartiya Kisan Union - BKU (Tikait), Bharatiya Kisan Parishad, and Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha, planned to march towards Delhi on Sunday evening after unsuccessful negotiations with the authorities. However, they were stopped at the border by Noida police, who placed barricades and anti-riot vans amid the deployment of a heavy police force.

On Tuesday, Noida police arrested over a hundred farmers protesting at Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal near the Delhi-Noida border and transported them to the police line. The farmers staged a protest on the Noida Expressway on Monday before settling at the Sthal, bringing along essential items such as mattresses, blankets, and cooking equipment.

At 1 pm, approximately 500 police personnel arrived and transported the farmers to the police line using several UPSRTC buses. A villager from Birondi village in Greater Noida, Sundari Devi, expressed concern, saying, “I have no idea where they are taking us. We wanted to raise our demand before the govt since nothing has come out in our favour after years-long protest. We will not stop even if they put us in jail.”

Several farmers said that despite their peaceful protest, the police intervened and forcefully arrested them to vacate the place. A senior police officer of Noida police was present during the operation but refrained from commenting.

The Allahabad High Court ruled in favour of increased compensation for farmers in 2011, with the Supreme Court affirming this decision in May 2015. However, protests continue as authorities maintain they lack sufficient developed residential plots to allocate to affected farmers.

Meanwhile, Chaudhary Naresh Tikait, who serves as the National President of Bhartiya Kisan and a Farmer Leader, expressed his concerns regarding the recent events. He said, “Today, farmers from Noida protesting peacefully were jailed. Can’t they ask for compensation for their land? Both the Central and state governments should admit their mistakes. Why not talk to the farmers? If talks could resolve it, why protest? Tomorrow, we will go to Noida Zero Point.”

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait added, “In Gautam Buddha Nagar, lands from Noida, Greater Noida, and Yamuna were acquired. The Supreme Court asked authorities to pay 64 per cent more compensation. Farmers were promised 10 per cent land, but not all received it, so they are protesting.”