No one will be spared say Delhi police
Delhi police said Wednesday that no one will be spared and the farmer leaders will be questioned for the violence that took place in the capital during the tractor rally. “They refused and insisted. We suggested them to hold rally at Kundli Manesar Expressway. We assured them to provide security, support and media coverage,” said Delhi police commissioner in a press conference.
Farmer bodies blame actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu for Red Fort incident
Chandigarh: Actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu is in the eye of a storm for being among the protesters who put up a religious flag atop the Red Fort on Republic Day. Many farmers’ bodies blamed Deep Sidhu for inciting protesters to head towards the Red Fort during the farmers’ tractor parade Tuesday. They also accused 36-year-old Sidhu of allegedly trying to defame the farmers’ peaceful agitation. The agitations are against the agri reforms introduced by the central government.
CII condemns violence that took place during tractor rally
New Delhi: A day after violence broke out during farmers’ tractor parade in the national capital, the CII said Wednesday that law and order should not be violated. The CII said the Centre as well as protesting farmers must be open to dialogue for reaching a solution.
Lone INLD MLA Abhay Singh Chautala resigns from Haryana Assembly over farm laws
Chandigarh: Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Singh Chautala tendered his resignation Wednesday as MLA from the Haryana Assembly over the three new farm laws. Speaker Gian Chand Gupta said he has accepted Abhay Chautala’s resignation with immediate effect. Abhay Chautala mentioned that he has resigned as farmers’ demands have not been met, Gupta told reporters here. The 57-year-old INLD leader was the party’s lone MLA in the 90-member State Assembly. He represented the Ellenabad seat.
37 farmer leaders held responsible for Tuesday’s violence
New Delhi: Thirty seven farmer leaders including Medha Patkar and Buta Singh have been held responsible for Tuesday’s violence in the national capital. In one of the FIRs filed by Delhi Police it has been said that acts like not following mutually agreed route & timing of farmers’ rally to disrupt Republic Day parade were done
2 farmer unions withdraw from agitation after condemning acts of violence
New Delhi: Two farmer unions, who were supporting the agitation against the new farm laws enacted by the Centre, have withdrawn from the movement. These farmer unions had been a major part of the ongoing protests. “I am deeply pained by whatever happened in Delhi yesterday (Tuesday) and we are ending our 58-day protest,” said Thakur Bhanu Pratap Singh, president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU).
Meanwhile a day after the violence in Delhi by protesting farmers, another leading group spearheading the farmers’ agitation, has said that it is withdrawing from the stir. “Not here to get people martyred,” farmer body Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sanghatan (RKMS) leader VM Singh told reporters here Wednesday. He also said that his organisation was withdrawing from the ongoing stir.
In a separate development gangster-turned-social activist Lakhbir Singh aka Lakha Sidhana distanced himself Wednesday from the violence during the tractor parade here. He said Wednesday that he and some farmer leaders only marched up to the Outer Ring Road in the national capital.
Lakhbir denied his involvement in the incidents at the Red Fort. He said it is a matter of investigation how people reached the Red Fort despite so much security.
“I am pained at the incidents that took place 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,” Lakhbir, who is in his 40s, said over the phone from Chandigarh.
Lakshbir also accused the government and police of conspiring against the farmers’ agitation. He distanced himself from the allegations of instigating protesters, saying he always called for peace.
Lakhbir, a native of Punjab’s Bathinda, has been camping at the Singhu border since November 26. He has dozens of criminal cases registered against him in Punjab. He has served prison terms, but has claimed in the past that he had quit the crime world. Since then he is said to be involved in social work.
Clashes broke out in multiple places, leading to violence in well-known landmarks of Delhi and its suburbs. While there were no exact estimates of how many farmers were hurt, Delhi Police officials said 86 of their men were injured through the day. Of these, 41 were injured at the Red Fort.
A protester died after his tractor overturned near ITO, one of the major flashpoints of trouble.