Violence erupted across India’s capital city of New Delhi on Tuesday when thousands of farmers protesting the government’s agricultural reform bills rode tractors past police barriers and clashed with officers. Farmers unions had devised a plan for a peaceful march into the capital on Republic Day, which commemorates the signing of India’s constitution. The Indian government had approved a plan for the farmers who have been protesting for months to enter the city at noon. But the farmers’ plans went awry when some protesters began marching toward the capital a few hours ahead of schedule, resulting in a face-off with police, who used tear gas and batons to try to turn them back.
As the farmers abandoned approved routes, fierce battles broke out across the city. One farmer was crushed when his tractor was among the many vehicles overturned in the melee. Reports indicate that at least 19 people involved in the clashes were sent to two New Delhi hospitals. According to police, at least 86 officers were also injured,
SO THERE IS ACTUALLY VERY CONFUSION OVER WHAT HAPPENED AT 26 JAN, SO I EXPLAIN THING BY TIMELINE
A night before the tractor rally a group of youth had hijacked the stage at Singhu border to oppose the route agreed upon SKM leaders and Delhi police for about 6 hours, from 6 pm-midnight, Amid the speech the crowd at Singhu border raised slogans our route, ring road parade road, ring road, people in the crowd alleged that farm leaders had done a turn around from their original call for republic day parade at Delhi borders.
7.30 – 9.30 AM:- ignoring the schedule of 12 pm to 5 pm timing that agreed upon with Delhi police, around 6000 to 7000 tractor already entered in Delhi borders from Singhu border, Tikri and Ghazipur.
10 AM: clashes between farmers and police started to break at Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar, where police started firing tear gas on the protestors.
10:30 AM: Clashes broke at Akshardham intersection where farmers started damaging parked vehicles and DTC buses.
11:00 AM:- Police started to fire tear gas shells and baton charge after farmers deviated from assigned routes for the tractor rally.
12:00 PM: Protesting farmers from Ghazipur reached ITO and started breaking police barricades. In order to stop their march towards Red Fort, Police resorted tobaton charge and tear gas shells.
12:00 PM: Farmers chased police with their tractors, damaging more DTC buses at ITO as they were prevented from moving towards the Red Fort. Hundreds of farmers entered Red Fort portico and hoisted the farmer union flag and the Nishan Sahib, saffron pennant with a Sikh religious symbol on the first rampart of Red Fort.
A farmer named Navneet Singh died afterhis tractor turned turtle. The farmers, however, claimed that he lost control after a tear gas shell hit him. Farmers sitwith the dead body at ITO.
2:30 PM: The clashes between the farmers and police personnel grew near ITOintersection and at Red Fort. Stone peltingwas also reported.
Post 2:30: Police tried to remove farmers from the ramparts of the Red Fort and resorted to mild baton charge. Protesters clashed with the police, used tractors and sticks to hit back. Internet services were suspended at Singhu, Ghazipur, Tikri, Mukarba Chowk and Nangloi and adjoining areas till midnight.
4:00 PM:- Samyukt Kisan Morcha condemned andregretted the violence and called off the rally claiming that some “anti-social” elements had infiltrated their “peaceful” protest.
The statement also said that the unions had made efforts to keep the events peaceful but “some organizations and individuals have violated the route and indulged in condemnable acts.” Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who represents Punjab, where many of the farmers are from, wrote on Twitter that the violence was “unacceptable” and urged “all genuine farmers to vacate Delhi and return to the borders,” referring to the areas on the outskirts of Delhi where the farmers have been camped for weeks in protest, A quick reminder why there is protest, in case you forgot
WHY THE FARMERS ARE STILL PROTESTING?
Thousands of farmers have been blocking several roads into new Delhi for more than two months demanding the repeal of three laws Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party passed unlawfully in September as a part of a plan to make India a $5 trillion economy by 2024. The laws, which some politicians say are necessary to modernize India’s economy and some expert believe that it’ll cause damage to Indian farmers, remove longstanding restrictions on how and where produce is sold. Farmers who used to sell their produce at government-sanctioned markets called mandis are now able to sell wherever they please. But the farmers are worried that the reforms will leave them at the mercy of large corporations that will buy their crops for low prices, leading to their financial ruin.
In response to the months of protests that have left dozens of farmers dead, the Indian government has offered to suspend the laws for 18 months. However, the farmers unions have refused to end their protest until there is a full retraction of the laws.
After an 11th round of talks ended without a resolution on January 22, the farmers decided to increase agitation of Modi’s government by riding tractors into the capital city during the Republic Day celebrations. The farmers have planned a march on foot to the parliament building on February 1 as the government determines its budget.
Some facts and Questions!
1) The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee(Not a part of Kisan unions who are representing farmers but related to BJP) leader Swaran Singh and Satnam Singh Pannu openly said post 26 Jan that they don’t follow Delhi police routes.
2) And 2 more people deep Sidhu and Lakha Sadhana( again not a part of Kisan union who is representing farmers) they also follow the Sarwan Singh.
So these people and their followers decided to not follow the decided route and they’re gonna break rules and regulations, they were giving the warnings that they will break rules, So what was intelligence was doing and what where the preparation of Delhi police on these things?
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