Bharat Bandh: Section 144 In Noida Amid Farmers' Stir. Centre 'Seeks Time' After Meeting Protestors. Top Points

After the call for Bharat Bandh by BKU today, Section 144 has been imposed in Noida.

Bharat Bandh Today: Citing a host of unmet demands of farmers, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) has called for a Bharat Bandh on Friday. In view of the bandh, Section 144 will be imposed in Uttar Pradesh's Noida. Gautam Buddh Nagar Police on Thursday said restrictions under CrPC Section 144, including a ban on unauthorised public assemblies, would be enforced across the district.

This comes a day after a marathon meeting between three Union ministers and leaders of protesting farmer unions concluded without a resolution. After the meeting, Union Minister Arjun Munda asserted that the discussion was "positive” and that another round of talks would be held on Sunday. Among the farmer leaders who took part in the meeting were SKM (non-political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher.

Speaking to reporters, Pandher said a detailed discussion on their demands, including a legal guarantee for the minimum support price and a debt waiver, took place. "They (the union ministers) said they needed time," said Pandher, as quoted by PTI. "We want that there should be a positive result, and any confrontation should be avoided. Otherwise, our plan to march to Delhi will go ahead," he added.

Here Are Top Points

• Commuters who are going to Delhi and coming back from the national capital are likely to face inconvenience due to traffic diversions in Noida. According to news agency PTI, the police urged citizens to opt for metro rail service "as far as possible" to avoid inconvenience. The decisions have been taken in view of the proposed protest marches called by the farmers' body Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and other unions, the police said.


• The call for Bharat Bandh also saw support from the Noida-based Bharatiya Kisan Parishad (BKP).


• The police said that Section 144 has been imposed in the Gautam Buddh Nagar district due to the various programmes proposed by SKM and various organisations on Friday. "Various programmes, like protest demonstrations, are proposed by SKM and various organisations for Friday. Hence, Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) is implemented on February 16," the police said in a statement, as quoted by PTI.


• Unlawful assembly of five or more people, unauthorised processions, or demonstrations, including political or religious, are prohibited, the order stated, PTI reported. The order also bars the use of private drones in a radius of one km of government establishments and also bans people from carrying sticks, rods, tridents, swords, firearms, and the likes in public places.


• The Rajasthan Congress extended its support to the bandh, saying that they will remain with the farmers' movement while ensuring that there is no violence. The president of the party's state unit, Govind Singh Dotasra, said on Thursday that the party will support the bandh by farmers for their demands, including a legal guarantee of the minimum support price for their crops. "Farmers have called for a bandh on Friday. The Congress has also decided to support the farmers' strike call. We will remain with the farmers' movement while ensuring that there is no violence, no damage to any government property," Dotasra told reporters at a press conference, as quoted by PTI.


• The police, in a traffic advisory, said that intensive checking will be done by installing barriers on all the borders of Noida and Delhi by the police on both sides due to which there will be a pressure on vehicular movement and traffic would be diverted according to requirement.