The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered district administrations to clear all protest sites on the state's borders with Delhi currently being blocked by farmers. The state government has ordered all DMs and SSPs to ensure the end of all the farmers' agitations in the state, news agency ANI quoted officials as saying.
The District Magistrate at the Ghazipur border told CNN-News18: "We have given them a notice...it is not for arrest. The notice is for causing public nuisance."
"A notice has been served to them (farmers) under Section 133 of CrPC (conditional order for removal of nuisance)," ANI quoted Ghaziabad ADM City Shailendra Kumar Singh as saying.
The orders, which signal a hard line taken by the government, came two days after violence during the tractor rally on the occasion of the Republic Day at several locations in the national capital.
The farmers at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh Ghazipur border had been sitting on protest against the three farm laws since November 26 last year, demanding the repeal of the three farm laws and ensuring the minimum support price (MSP) for their produce.
A senior police official wishing not to be named told IANS: "Yes, we have received orders from the government to get all the farmers protest site on the borders of the state vacated."
Earlier in the day, there was heavy deployment of security personnel, comprising the Uttar Pradesh and Delhi Police, the Central Reserve Police Force and the Rapid Action Force at the Ghazipur protest site.
The farmers have blocked the Delhi-Meerut highway from one side since November 26 last year.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, who has been named in the FIR by the Delhi Police in connection with the Republic Day violence also made a presence at the Ghazipur border, after going underground for last two days.
A team of senior officials of the Ghaziabad police and administration also arrived at the Ghazipur border to apprehend him.