Protesting farmers send back group of Jamia students

Farmers protesting against the Centre's new agri laws refused to allow a group of Jamia Millia Islamia students to join their agitation at the UP Gate (Ghaziabad)-Ghazipur (Delhi) border on Sunday, police said.

The group of six students, including girls, had arrived there to render support to the farmers by singing and playing 'dafli' (tambourine), they said.

When the farmer leaders objected to their presence at the site, police sent the students back, Deputy Superintendent of Police Anshu Jain told PTI.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said the government 'wants to break the unity of farmers'.

He said farmers are still arriving at the protest site in large numbers and the ongoing agitation against the three new farm laws would be 'historic'.

Farmer leaders will hold a hunger strike on Monday from 8 am to 5 pm, the BKU leader was quoted as saying in a press release.

Farmers in all district headquarters will also stage protests on Monday, Tikait said.

Somvir Sangwan, an independent MLA of Charkhi Dadri in Haryana, and Madan Lal Balmiki, president of the Rashtriya Balmiki Maha Sangh, Shadipur, Delhi, also handed over the letters of support to Tikait, according to the press release.