Farmer unions holding a press conference on Wednesday.Farmer unions protesting against the new farm laws Wednesday called off their proposed march to the Parliament on February 1 in view of Republic Day violence. “On Martyrs’ Day, we’ll hold public rallies across India on behalf of the farmers’ agitation. We will also keep a one-day fast. Our March to the Parliament on Feb 1st stands postponed for now due to this (yesterday’s violence),” ANI quoted Balbir S Rajewal, Bhartiya Kisan Union (R), as saying.
Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava Wednesday said the farmer leaders were also involved in the violence that broke out during the tractor rally on Republic Day, adding that they will be questioned. He also said at least 19 persons have been arrested and 50 detained on charges of rioting. The police have also filed 22 FIRs so far that mention the names of at least 10 farm leaders, including Yogendra Yadav and Rakesh Tikait.
Meanwhile, two farmer unions – Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan and Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) – Wednesday separated themselves from the ongoing farmer protests at Delhi borders, a day after the protesting farmers engaged in violent clashes with police on Republic Day.
After two months of peaceful protests on Delhi’s borders and 11 rounds of negotiations with the central government, the Republic Day tractor parade spiralled into chaos Tuesday. One protester died when his tractor overturned while ramming a road barrier at ITO, and scores were injured, as mobs resorted to violence and vandalism while forcing their way to the Red Fort and hoisting their flag there. As the night fell, the Red Fort was secured, the flags removed and protesters made to vacate the premises.
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The Red Fort shall remain closed to public and general visitors from tomorrow, Jan 28, to Jan 31. It was shut today
Delhi Police on Wednesday alleged that farmer leaders made inflammatory speeches and were involved in the violence during the tractor parade by agitating farmers that left 394 of its personnel injured, and warned that no culprit will be spared.
Addressing a press conference, Delhi police commissioner S N Srivastava said farmer unions did not follow conditions set for the tractor rally that was supposed to be held from 12 noon to 5 PM and accused them of betrayal. He said not a single life was lost as the Delhi Police showed extreme restraint.
As many as 25 FIRs have been registered so far, Srivastava said. "We are using the facial recognition system and taking the help of CCTV and video footage to identify the accused. Strict action will be taken against those identified. No culprit will be spared," he said. He alleged that some farmer leaders like Satnam Singh Pannu and Darshan Pal gave inflammatory speeches. Thereafter protesters broke barricades. (PTI)
Even as national BJP leaders from Punjab maintained a studious silence over the violence in Delhi by protesting farmers, state BJP president Ashwani Sharma Wednesday strongly condemned the violence and squarely blamed AAP and Congress for it. Sharma said that it was because of “surreptitious support” of the Congress and the AAP that disruptive forces had become emboldened to “disgrace the nation” on Republic Day. More details here.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar: "Rahul Gandhi wasn't only supporting protest but also instigating. It was the same during CAA, Congress holds rallies, they instigate people to take to streets and agitation begins next day. It happened during this agitation too. They instigated farmers."
He also said the Congress and Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the people of the country. The Union minister also rubbished the links of actor Deep Sidhu with the BJP. Sidhu is accused of leading the mob to Red Fort.
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar: "The manner in which there was violence in Delhi yesterday, the more it is condemned, the less it is. Action should be against all of those who instigated others. India won't tolerate the manner in which the Tricolour was insulted at the Red Fort."
"Congress constantly tried to instigate farmers' agitation. When some farmer leaders had said on 26th January that it's final match, then Punjab government should have monitored the tractors leaving from the state and made preventive arrests of habitual criminals."
Farmer unions protesting against the new farm laws Wednesday called off their proposed march to the Parliament on February 1 in view of Republic Day violence. "On Martyrs' Day, we'll hold public rallies across India on behalf of the farmers' agitation. We will also keep a one-day fast. Our March to the Parliament on Feb 1st stands postponed for now due to this (yesterday's violence)," ANI quoted Balbir S Rajewal, Bhartiya Kisan Union (R), as saying.
Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava Wednesday said the farmer leaders were also involved in violence that broke out during tractor rally on the Republic Day, causing damage to public property and injuring over 394 police personnel, PTI reported.
Shrivastava said the farmer unions did not follow conditions set for tractor rally that was supposed to be held from 12 pm to 5 pm. "Those involved in violence during tractor rally will not be spared, farmer leaders will be questioned," PTI quoted him as saying.
The Uttarakhand BJP on Wednesday said anarchy unleashed on the streets of Delhi on the Republic Day in the name of farmers' agitation proves that anti-nationals and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's opponents have joined hands.
State BJP vice president Devendra Bhasin also targeted Congress' youth wing for a tweet in which it had tried to "glorify vandalism" at the historic Red Fort.
"Under the pretext of this agitation even Pakistan and some other forces are playing their anti-India game. The anarchy on the streets of Delhi on the Republic Day in the name of farmers' agitation proves once again that anti-nationals and Modi opponents are hand-in-glove," he said.
Bhasin condemned Pradesh Congress's youth wing for trying to "glorify vandalism" at a time when the entire country was outraged over the incident at the Red Fort and said it reflects the party's "anti-national thinking". (PTI)
Following the violence on January 26 and updates about heavy traffic raised apprehensions of commuters to Delhi as several cab drivers refused to come to the national capital from adjoining areas on Wednesday.
People travelling from bordering or far-off areas like Noida, Faridabad and Narela, had to either reschedule their plans or wait longer to take cabs or autos.
"No one is willing to go towards central Delhi. They fear roads are blocked, I showed a driver the traffic advisory too, but he did not want to take a risk. I had to go by metro for a particular distance and then take an auto, which also could not drop me till last destination," said a commuter from Noida, who did not wish to be identified.
Another commuter said, "The updates about closure of entry and exit gates of few metro stations are changing every now and then these days and cab drivers are also apprehensive to go. I changed my plans when I couldn't get a cab, will go next week now when situation normalises."
Commuters on Wednesday faced hardships in reaching their destinations due to traffic restrictions on key routes in the national capital, a day after violence broke out during farmers' tractor parade in the city. (PTI)
The protesting farmer leaders are considering postponement of their foot march to Parliament on February 1 against the three farm laws in the wake of violence in the national capital during the tractor parade on Republic Day.
A senior farmer leader said the Samkyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is an umbrella body of the protesting unions, will take a final call on postponement of the February 1 foot march.
"In view of violence during tractor parade, we are considering to postpone our proposed foot march to Parliament, which was scheduled to be take place on February 1. However, a final will be taken by the Samkyukta Kisan Morcha," said a senior member of the umbrella body.
Another member said this was not a favourable time for the foot march to Parliament and it can be deferred. (PTI)
Following an ultimatum by panchayats of 20 villages in Rewari to empty the area, protestors who had been demonstrating at Masani barrage have moved back to the Haryana-Rajasthan border today. Villagers said the ultimatum was given due to yesterday's violence.
Some farmers seen taking off their tents at Chilla border.
Gangster-turned-social activist Lakhbir Singh aka Lakha Sidhana on Wednesday distanced himself from the violence during the tractor parade in New Delhi on Republic Day and he and some farmer leaders only marched up to the Outer Ring Road in the national capital.
"I am pained at the incidents that took place on Tuesday but I am not involved in these. There is no video, photo or other evidence that shows that I instigated people. We had marched towards the Outer Ring Road under our farmer leaders in a peaceful manner. We never had any agenda of going towards the Red Fort," Sidhana, who is in his 40s, told PTI over phone.
He said nearly 20 farmer leaders went till Ring Road with their cadres in a peaceful manner and returned soon after. On being asked that they were not allowed to go up to the Ring Road, Sidhana claimed popular sentiment was in support of it as farmer unions had announced first on January 2 and then on January 17 that they will carry out the tractor rally there.
He accused the government and police of conspiring against the farmers' agitation and distanced himself from the allegations of instigating protesters, saying he always called for peace. (PTI)
The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday alleged that the BJP planted its "stooge" actor Deep Sidhu to create "chaos" in farmers' tractor parade in Delhi on Republic Day.
At a press conference, AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha, while questioning the connection between Sidhu and BJP, showed several photos purportedly of the actor with various BJP leaders.
"The BJP planted their stooge Deep Sidhu to create chaos in farmers' tractor parade," Chadha said. (PTI)
Trinamool Congress: How could protesters enter into Red Fort breaching security. Why didn't Centre have intelligence inputs on possibility of violence during farmers' tractor parade in Delhi. (PTI)
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi-led central government of maligning the farmers' protest over the Republic Day violence in Delhi and demanded the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah for failing to maintain law and order in the national capital.
At a press conference, Surjewala asked how did Deep Sidhu, who was clicked with PM Modi and Amit Shah, managed to take protesters to the Red Fort. "This is the conspiracy by the government to remove the protesters," he said.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) leader Bhanu Pratap Singh has parted ways with farm protests, condemning the Republic Day violence.
A day after the protesting farmers clashed with the police on Republic Day, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination leader V M Singh has said his faction is breaking away from the protest. 'We can't carry forward a protest with someone whose direction is something else. So, I wish them the best but VM Singh and All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee are withdrawing from this protest right away,' ANI quoted him as saying.
He also blamed BKU's Rakesh Tikait for pressuring the farmers to take a different route than the one designated for the tractor rally on Republic Day.