New Delhi:New Delhi: Amid heavy police restrictions to foil the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march to press for their demands, the Arvind Kejriwal led AAP government in Delhi has rejected the Centre's proposal to convert Bawana stadium into a makeshift jail saying protest was “constitutional right of every citizen”. Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gahlot has written a letter to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar in this regard.
In the letter written to Chief Secretary, Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gahlot has denied permission to convert the stadium into a makeshift jail and expressed solidarity with the farmers' march. "The demands of the farmers are genuine. Secondly, it is the constitutional right of every citizen to make a peaceful protest. It is therefore, incorrect to arrest the farmers" Gahlot's letter to Kumar read.
"The Central Government, infact, should invite them over for talks and try to find a solution to their genuine problems. Farmers of the country are our 'annadata' and treating them in this way by arresting them would be like rubbing salt into their wounds. We cannot be a party to this decision of the Central government," the letter by the Delhi Home Minister added.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha began marching towards Delhi on Tuesday morning to press the Centre to accept their demands, including the enactment of a law to guarantee a minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Meanwhile, police fired tear gas shells at the farmers to foil their march towards Delhi, at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border on Tuesday.
On Monday evening, the second round of the meeting between the Centre and the farm leaders failed to reach a consensus.
- Read more: Farmers' Protest Live: 'Delhi Chalo' March on as Meet with Union Ministers Inconclusive
- Ahead of Farmers' Protest March, Haryana Police Increases Vigil Along Delhi Borders
- Farmers' Protest: Union Ministers Begin Talks with Farmer Leaders in Chandigarh
