Akali Dal condemns violence during tractor rally; party's core committee to meet on Jan 27

The Shiromani Akali Dal condemned the violence that broke out during the farmers' tractor rally against the three farm laws in the national capital on Republic Day. Observing that his party stands for peace, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal appealed to the protestors to maintain calm. Moreover, he announced that his party's core committee shall meet on Wednesday to take stock of the situation arising out of this violence. 

SAD had pulled out of NDA after Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from the Union Cabinet on September 17, 2020, in protest against the farm laws. Incidentally, SAD had backed the farm ordinances promulgated by President Ram Nath Kovind on June 5, 2020. The Sukhbir Singh Badal-led party had fully thrown its weight behind the protests by farmers and urged the Centre to repeal 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: Farmers Tractor Rally LIVE UPDATES: Red Fort Breached; 83 Police Personnel Injured

Violence during the tractor rally

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 at least 83 police personnel have been injured in the violence, the Delhi Police have register 4 FIRs against the protesters. 

Read: Repeal Contentious Farm Laws, Urges TN Opposition