On Tuesday, over 160 protesting farmers were arrested by the police in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, following a sit-in at the ‘Dalit Prerna Sthal.’ The farmers, part of a larger protest movement organized by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, had previously paused their march to Delhi to demand action on various issues, including the implementation of a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
The protest intensified after the farmers, who had gathered from different parts of Uttar Pradesh, were not allowed to proceed towards the national capital. The police arrested the farmers under Section 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which permits arrests to prevent the commission of a cognizable offense. Among those arrested were prominent leaders like Sukhbir Khalifa of the Bharatiya Kisan Parishad and Pawan Khatana, state president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Western Uttar Pradesh). Several women were also among the detainees, and they were taken to the Luksar jail in Noida.
The protest stemmed from the farmers’ longstanding demands for fair compensation for land acquired by the government and a renewed push for MSP guarantees. The farmers had earlier gathered near the Mahamaya flyover on Monday before being stopped by police near the Dalit Prerna Sthal. The heavy security and barricades set up by the police caused significant traffic congestion, particularly at the Delhi-Noida border, as the farmers prepared to continue their march coinciding with the start of Parliament’s Winter Session.
In response to the arrests, Naresh Tikait, leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, called for a panchayat in Muzaffarnagar, condemning the arrests and reaffirming the farmers’ resolve to continue their struggle. “We will continue to fight for their just demands,” said Khalifa, one of the arrested leaders. The farmers have also given the government a seven-day ultimatum to meet their demands, warning of further protests if no action is taken.
