The Delhi Police are on high alert with hundreds of farmers set to protest in front of the Parliament House as the monsoon session is set to begin on Monday.
On Sunday, the police warned the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to keep "extra vigilant at seven of its stations in view of the protest call given by farmers near Parliament," news agency ANI reported.
The police also urged the DMRC to close seven metro stations including Janpath, Lok Kalyan Marg, Patel Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Mandi House, and Udyog Bhawan if required. The advisories were issued after the police held a meeting with a delegation of farmers near Singhu border ahead of their massive protest planned for 22 July.
As many as 200 farmers have been granted permission by the authorities to march to Parliament from Singhu border every day.
"The police asked us to reduce the number of protestors but we have not agreed to this," Shiv Kumar Kakka, a farmer leader, told media.
Another farmer leader – Rakesh Tikait – who is spearheading the protests in Delhi, has maintained that the rally near the Parliament will be "peaceful." "We will sit outside the Parliament while proceedings will continue in the House," he said.
The farmers assurances of "peaceful protests" come in the wake of violence in the capital on 26 January during Republic Day celebrations. Hundreds of farmers drove scores of tractors into Delhi for a rally but didn't stick to the route green-lighted by the police, and instead stormed the city's iconic Red Fort.