Prohibitory orders across Delhi as farmers' march to go ahead

Anticipating a rerun of 2020-21 farmers' agitation, the Delhi Police on Monday invoked prohibitory orders under section 144 of the code of criminal procedure (CrPC) in the entire city with immediate effect and it is likely to continue for the next 30 days unless the order is withdrawn, senior officials aware of the development said on Monday.

- Karn Pratap Singh

Talks between Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Arjun Munda and protesting farmers ended in an impasse, with consensus missing on some of the key sticking points, including a legally guaranteed minimum support price (MSP).

The restrictions were clamped after an order issued by the Delhi Police commissioner Sanjay Arora, around 11.30am.

In the order, a copy of which has been shared by the city police's public relation office, the police commissioner mentioned the "Delhi Chalo" march announced for February 13 (Tuesday) by various farmers' unions and associations such as the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha to hold protests outside Parliament, to press their demands.

Arora in his order said that for maintaining peace, tranquillity, public safety and public order in Delhi, eight orders are being promulgated. The first is about prohibition on assembly. His order stated that "there shall be a prohibition on blocking of roads, passages, any type of procession agitation, rally, public meeting by the agitators or general public or public representatives by way of assembly/gathering of five or more persons with or without weapons in the entire jurisdiction of Delhi, except for purposes specifically permitted under law."