Interior Minister Amit Shah on Friday met with senior government, police and security officials and discussed ways to prevent any possibility of violence on Delhi’s borders in connection with the ongoing farmer agitation, people said. familiar with the matter.
HT learns that the concern is that some radical groups may have embedded themselves among the protesters with the aim of prolonging the unrest or engaging in acts of violence that could force the police to react.
Read also: Top kabaddi players and fighters lead the sporting turn to agricultural upheaval
The people cited above added that intelligence reports suggest the presence of at least 10 such groups among protesting farmers.
Farmer groups are protesting the approval of three agrarian reform laws and have rejected a government proposal that met some of their demands; they demand the total repeal of the laws, which the government has ruled out.
However, the government has maintained that it is still open to discussing and addressing problems farmers have with the laws.
Read also: Agricultural union moves SC seeking repeal of laws
The protest groups, which appear to have hardened their position, have said that on Saturday 12 December, farmers will block the Delhi-Jaipur highway.
Farmers have also threatened more protests on December 14.
Interestingly, since October, the protesting farmers’ demands included the release of “imprisoned intellectuals and democratic rights activists and student activists.”
.
