TAD NewsDesk, New Delhi: On February 1, the government is going to announce the budget for the session and the farmers planned a Parliament march on that day which has been called off now. The republic day violence pushed limits to an unimaginable extreme.
As a mark of protest against the three centre farm laws, the farmers have been camping out in the capital city, demanding the repealing of the laws.
On Tuesday, a protest parade of tractors around the fringes of the capital to coincide with Republic Day celebrations turned into chaos when some farmers diverged from agreed routes and broke through barricades.
Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the group of farm unions organising the protests, claimed earlier that it would be a peaceful march and later condemned the violence which saw protesters – some carrying ceremonial swords – storm into the historic Red Fort complex as police used tear gas and batons to constrain them.
It said on Wednesday the unions would hold rallies and a hunger strike on Saturday but there would be no planned events on Monday, when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is due to present the annual budget.
farm leader Balbir Rajewal said,
“Our march to parliament has been postponed, but our movement will go on.”
Delhi’s chief of police SN Srivastava said 394 police officers and constables had been injured in the violence.
He added,
“The violence occurred because terms and conditions were not followed. Farmer leaders were involved in the violence.”
According to Mr Srivastava,
More than 25 criminal cases had been filed, with 19 arrests and 50 people detained to date.
During a huge “tractor rally” on Tuesday, several hundred demonstrators breached the outer walls of Delhi’s Red Fort – one of its most recognisable landmarks – before raising flags from the ramparts and clashing with police.
Mr Vikramjit Singh, a farmer said
“Nobody had given a call to go to Red Fort, It all happened suddenly.”
Raman Randhawa, a farm leader from Rajasthan state
“We have already made it clear that we want all three agriculture bills to be repealed.”
Though the farmers claimed that they would have a peaceful march, the violence has raised a lot of questions and concerns. There has been still no resolution on the issue because none of the parties has been able to come to an agreement. The three centre farm laws are still in existence and yet to be decided upon.
Source: Aljazeera
