Friday, March 29, 2024

‘Farmers’ drop the ‘promise’ of ‘peaceful’ tractors’ rally: Break barricades; tear-gassed





The farmers’ tractors rally on Republic Day, as expected, brought trouble in its wake as they didn’t keep their promise of “peaceful” appearance in the Capital. 

Thousands of farmers knocked down police barricades and entered Delhi on foot, creating chaos and mayhem. Police were left with no option but to baton-charge and shell tear gas at the rampant “peaceful” protestors. 

The so-called “Kisan Parade”, after the main event of the 72nd Republic Day by the Indian state was conducted at Rajpath, soured the high-spirit of the citizens the way it unfolded. 

From 8 am onwards, the farmers had begun to swell at Delhi’s borders and the visuals from the Singhu border, which separates Delhi from Haryana, and Tikri border at the western part of the national Capital, witnessed farmers breaking through on their tractors. 

A dramatic video from Delhi’s Akshardham showed policemen firing tear gas shells from an overbridge as protesters on road looked for cover. Another clip showed rows of tractors headed towards Outer Ring Road. More than 5,000 protesters had gathered this morning near the Singhu border, the epicentre of the agitation against the new farm laws that began late November. 

On Sunday, Delhi Police had allowed the tractor rally after the annual Republic Day parade. The protesters were told they can’t disrupt the celebrations at Rajpath even as the farmers insisted their parade would be “peaceful”.

Sources in Delhi Police also warned of disruptions by Pakistan-based ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) and “rogue elements linked to Khalistani outfits”. 

Three routes were cleared for the farmers to hold the parade – 63-km route near Singhu Border,  62.5 km-long route  from Tikri border, a 68-km long route from Ghazipur border that divides Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. 

(To be updated…)


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