Farmer unions call off march to Parliament scheduled for Feb 1 post R-Day rally violence

In a big development on Wednesday, the farm unions called off their scheduled march to the Parliament on February 1 in protest against the three farm laws. Addressing a press conference at the Singhu border, Bhartiya Kisan Union (R) leader Balbir S Rajewal explained that this decision was taken in the wake of the violence that took place during the tractor rally on Republic Day. He also announced that the protesting farmers will observe a one-day fast on January 30 besides holding public rallies on the same day.

During the briefing, the farm leaders repeated their allegation that the violence was the outcome of a conspiracy hatched by the Union government with miscreants. To support their claim, they questioned the inability of the police to prevent protesters from unfurling their own flags from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Moreover, the unions reiterated that their protest will continue until the repeal of The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Read: Delhi Farmers' Riot Crackdown LIVE Updates: 2 Farm Unions Pull Out Of Anti-farm Law Stir

Republic Day violence

The Delhi Police had permitted farmers to take out the tractor rally on three routes emanating from the Singhu border, the Tikri border, and the Ghazipur border covering 62 km, 60 km, and 46 km respectively. Darshan Pal, Rajinder Singh, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Buta Singh Burjgil, and Joginder Singh Ugraha were asked to coordinate with the police during the rally. Additionally, the Police mandated that a maximum of 5000 persons with 5000 tractors can participate in the Republic Day rally from noon to 5 pm. However, the rally took a violent turn after groups of farmers broke police barricades at the Delhi border to enter the national capital before the allocated time. 

As per visuals, some of the protesters vandalised a DTC bus and drove tractors to deliberately run over the police personnel at ITO in central Delhi. In a clear violation of the conditions laid down by the police, farmers were seen carrying sticks and riding horses. Thereafter, the anti-farm laws protesters entered the premises of the Red Fort and unfurled their own flags from its ramparts. While 394 police personnel have been injured in the violence, the Delhi Police has registered more than 25 FIRs against the protesters. Most importantly, farmer leaders Darshan Pal, Rajinder Singh, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Buta Singh Burjgil, Joginder Singh Ugraha, Rakesh Tikait and Yogendra Yadav have also been named in one of the FIRs.

Read: Delhi Police Exposes Role Of Farm Leaders In R-Day Violence, Shows Proof Of Provocation