NOIDA: Two days after BKU leader Rakesh Tikait announced that farmers were planning a chakka jam on March 26, Noida police imposed prohibitory orders till April 30, citing Covid concerns and the upcoming festival season. Previously, restrictions under CrPC Section 144 were in place from January 22 to 31, after several cases of hoax bomb threat were reported from different districts of UP.
A notification from the Noida police said the restrictions have been imposed keeping in view the SOPs issued by the Union health ministry and UP government over Covid situation and the upcoming festivals, including Holi, Shab-e-baraat, Maharishi Kashyap Jayanti, Bhimrao Ambedkar Jayanti, Navratri, Ram Navmi, Mahavir Jayanti and Hanuman Jayanti, and on the occasion of Good Friday. It states that protests would be allowed only after permission from the police and any processions and chakka jam would not be allowed nor anyone would be allowed to provoke someone to do it. None will be allowed to walk with sticks, lathis and arms. Further, sale, playing and circulation of any provocative material in audio/video cassettes and CDs will not be allowed, according to the police.
Additional commissioner of police (law and order) Ashutosh Dwivedi said action will be taken if any unlawful elements enter any protests and create nuisance. TOI reported on Wednesday that BKU leader Tikait had said the farmers were planning a one-day chakka jam on March 26 and the Noida-Delhi border may be shut in case the farmers’ demands were not met. A senior police officer said while the general instructions were not to stop the farmers till any major law and order situation erupts, they might take action under the restriction if needed.
BKU-Tikait state spokesperson Pawan Khatana said the chakka jam plan is a nation-wide call given by the Sanyukta Morcha and Bharat Bandh will be observed in the entire country. “If before March 26, the authorities assure the farmers that local youths will get employment in companies established on their land, we will not block the Chilla border,” he said.