The Hindu
While farmer leaders disowned the protesters, one young man was seen hoisting a yellow triangular flag at the Red Fort flagpole.
Delhi - Tens of thousands of farmers atop tractors broke barriers, clashed with police and entered the city from various points to lay siege to the Red Fort and climb the flagpole on Republic Day.
While farmer leaders, who have been spearheading the two-month protest at the national capital’s border points to demand a repeal of the farm laws, disowned the protesters, one young man was seen hoisting a yellow triangular flag at the flagpole – the centrepiece of the country’s Independence Day celebrations. The saffron flag was the 'Nishan Sahib', a symbol of Sikh religion seen at all Gurdwara complexes The other flag appeared to be of a farmer union.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 41 farmer unions, alleged that some "antisocial elements" infiltrated their otherwise peaceful movement.
Samyukt Kisan Morcha has just issued a statement calling off the Kisan Republic Day Parade with immediate effect, and has appealed to all participants to immediately return to their respective protest sites.
SKM announced the movement will continue peacefully and further steps will be discussed and decided soon. - Priscilla Jebaraj
The police remove the buses at Peeragarhi Chowk to finally allow the farmers to march ahead. - Ashok Berwal
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh termed unacceptable the violence perpetrated by certain elements during the tractor rally in Delhi on Tuesday and urged all genuine farmers to immediately vacate Delhi and return to the borders, where they had been protesting peacefully for the past two months.
The Chief Minister ordered a high alert the State amid the tension and violence in Delhi and directed Director General of Police Dinkar Gupta to ensure that law and order in the state is not disturbed at any cost.
Tension builds up at Peeragarhi Chowk with the police having parked buses to block the farmers' way. Meanwhile, more tractors continue to come from Tikri border behind to join those at Peeragarhi Chowk. - Ashok Berwal
The meeting that was going on for a few hours at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah has ended. It was attended by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Delhi police commissioner S.N. Shrivastava and Intelligence Bureau officials.
It was decided to deploy extra paramilitary forces in Delhi, some already deployed, a senior government official told The Hindu.
Several entry points into the city have been sealed as the deployment is increased, eyewitnesses said. - Vijaita Singh
The farmer who died after a tractor overturned has been identified as Ranveet Singh.
The farmers draped the body in the tricolour and kept it at the ITO crossing, not allowing the police to send it for post-mortem.
Protesters have requested the police to call an ambulance to the ITO to take the body to the deceased's native place in Bilaspur, Uttar Pradesh. Mr. Singh, 25, was his parents' only child and is survived by his wife. He returned to India from Australia around two years ago. - Saurabh Trivedi, PTI
“We strongly condemn the violence seen in today's protest. It is regrettable that the Central government allowed the situation to deteriorate to such an extent. The movement has been peaceful for the last two months. Farmer leaders have said that those who indulged in violence today were not part of the movement and were external elements. Whoever they were, the violence has certainly weakened the movement which was going on so peacefully and in a disciplined manner,” said a statement issued by the Aam Aadmi Party. - Jaideep Deo Bhanj
Farmers, in tractors, break through the barricades at Nangloi to move towards Peeragarhi Chowk in large numbers. Scores of tractors from Nangloi are now headed towards Peeragarhi Chowk.
Tractors coming in from the Tikri border have gone past the Peeragarhi Chowk without the police trying to stop them. - Ashok Kumar
The complete statement issued by the SKM condemning the "undesirable and unacceptable events" that took place today and disassociated itself from "from all such elements that have violated our discipline."
We thank farmers for the unprecedented participation in today's Farmers Republic Day Parade. We also condemn and regret the undesirable and unacceptable events that have taken place today and dissociate ourselves from those indulging in such acts.
Despite all our efforts, some organisations and individuals have violated the route and indulged in condemnable acts. Anti-social elements had infiltrated the otherwise peaceful movement. We have always held that peace is our biggest strength, and that any violation would hurt the movement.
The long struggle for more than 6 months now, and more than 60 days of protest at Delhi borders also seemed to have led to this situation.
We dissociate ourselves from all such elements that have violated our discipline. We appeal strongly to everyone to stick to the route and norms of the Parade, and not indulge in any violent action or anything that taints national symbols and dignity. We appeal to everyone to desist from any such acts.
SKM has been trying to get a full picture of all the events with regard to the several Kisan Parades that were planned today and will share a fuller statement soon. Our information is that apart from some regrettable violations, the parades are underway peacefully as per plan. - Priscilla Jebaraj
As per government instructions, Internet services have been interrupted in many areas of Delhi-NCR till further notice. - Saurabh Trivedi
Delhi Police resort to another round of firing tear gas shells at Nangloi to prevent farmers from marching towards Peeragarhi Chowk. - Ashok Kumar
Many farmers who had reached Red Fort in the morning have started descending back to the Ghazipur border where they were earlier stationed.
"We had reached Lal Quila in the morning, now we are heading back to Ghazipur," said one of the farmers driving a tractor.
62 years old Jhandha Singh, a sugarcane farmer from Amroha district in U.P., said there were more than 200 farmers from his village Asawar who joined the march towards Delhi today. With road blocked by the Delhi police at Indraprastha Junction towards Central Delhi, Mr. Singh said his group will return to Ghazipur. - Rocky S.
"Rogue criminal element" behind violence: AIKS
All India Kisan Sabha general secretary, Hannan Mollah, who is part of the SKM leadership that has been negotiating with the government blamed a "rogue criminal element" for betraying the farmers by engaging in violence.
"We condemn such action. It is not that farmers are out of control. Some rogue criminal elements are causing the problem," he told The Hindu, speaking from Tikri. Noting that protesting farmers had conducted a peaceful agitation for the seven months since the three laws were initially brought in as ordinances, Mr. Mollah said the outburst of violence in some parts of Delhi today was "a conspiracy to give a bad name to farmers".
When it was pointed out that at least one farmers union, the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, which is also part of the SKM negotiations with the government had declared that it would defy the police restrictions, Mr. Mollah said such people could be seen as "betrayers".
"If you look all across the country, there may be over a crore people on the streets. There are a few hundred who are breaking rules here. The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee are not a main part of the movement," he said. "Those farmers who are doing this are betrayers to the farmers' cause. Someone who is breaking the rules like this, causing disturbance, actually helps the government to win, and they cannot be called part of the movement."
He admitted that some of the action seen today could hurt the farmers' stance with the government. "Putting up a flag at Red Fort was never the aim for farmers. We want to get the government to listen to our demands. This is not helpful for that aim," added Mr. Mollah.
He also pleaded with news media channels not to keep playing visuals of rioting protestors as this will "instigate" further violence, but rather to focus on the lakhs of farmers who are peacefully participating in parades along the agreed routes. - Priscilla Jebaraj
Scene at Ghazipur border
Members of Bhartiya Kisan Union are manning the Ghazipur border. There is hardly any police personnel of UP or Delhi Police at the barricades.
At the Delhi Police post at the Ghazipur border, head constable Pradeep Kumar said they didn’t have orders to stop tractors. “We removed the barricades but farmers didn’t follow the agreed route. They were supposed to take a turn from Ghazipur crossing to Anand Vihar and then via Apsara border they were supposed to return to UP Gate.”
He said Rakesh Tikait and his followers wanted to go upto Akshardham and then return. “However, they didn’t even stop at Akshardham and marched further to ITO. It was not something that was agreed upon on Monday night in the meeting at the Ghazipur border. They forced the police to use mild force and tear gas shells. The leadership had failed,” he said.
Raushul Alam, a member of the BKU media team said Mr Tikait tried to stop farmers but a group who arrived early morning didn’t listen to his appeal. “We wanted to go only upto Akshardham and return,” he said.
The situation is also tense at the Apsara/ Dilshad Garden border as scores of tractors are returning from Delhi, choking the GT Road for traffic. - Anuj Kumar
Union Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel condemns protests
Union Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel on Tuesday condemned the actions of protesting farmers at the Red Fort, after they entered the monument and hoisted the flag of their movement and the Sikh flag Nishan Sahib.
In a tweet, Mr. Patel said the Red Fort was a symbol of dignity of “our democracy” and that the protesters should have stayed away from it. Terming the incidents sad and unfortunate, he said he condemned the violation of dignity.
The Archaeological Survey of India declined to comment saying the Central Industrial Security Force and the Delhi police would be able to comment since it was a matter of security. - Damini Nath
Rahul Gandhi tweets:
"Violence is not a solution to any problem. If anyone is injured, it is the nation that bears the damage. In the interest of the nation, the farm laws should be taken back". - Sandeep Phukan