Violence erupts as farmers storm Red Fort
Police fires teargas; 1 farmer killed, 86 cops hurt in clashes
India’s 72nd Republic Day was scarred by violence that erupted on the streets of Delhi as a large section of the protesting farmers who were participating in the tractor rally deviated from the agreed route, broke barricades, clashed with the police and stormed the historic Red Fort where they hoisted the Sikh flag, “Nishan Sahib”.
The national flag, which is a permanent fixture on the 17th century landmark, was not touched.
The police responded with firing teargas shells and lathicharge, resulting in injuries to hundreds of protesters. Eighty-six police personnel also suffered injuries.
One farmer lost his life after his speeding tractor hit a barricade near ITO in central Delhi. The protesters, however, alleged that the 25-year-old victim was shot dead by the police. They wrapped his body in a tricolour and kept it near the ITO flyover. After several hours, the body of the victim, identified as a resident of
Uttar Pradesh, was sent for autopsy.
Eight buses and 17 private vehicles were also damaged in the clashes.
The large-scale violence, which took place mainly around ITO, Red Fort and Nangloi, forced the government to order temporary suspension of telecom services in border areas of Delhi — Singhu, Ghazipur, Tikri, Mukarba Chowk, Nangloi — from 12 noon to 11:59 pm. About a dozen-odd metro stations were also shut. All the entry points leading to central Delhi were sealed. Even Connaught Place was closed.
Union home minister Amit Shah held a series of meetings with Delhi Police and home ministry officials to review the security situation. In the meeting it was decided that additional paramilitary forces be deployed in Delhi and strict action be taken against the rioters.
The Delhi Police said the protesting farmers violated conditions agreed for the tractor rally. “Farmers began the tractor parade before the scheduled time, resorted to violence and vandalism.”
The Samyukta Kisan
Morcha, an umbrella organisation of the protesting farmers’ unions, distanced itself from “violent elements” who, it said, had infiltrated the otherwise peaceful movement.
The Morcha said that the long struggle against the Centre’s three farm laws, that has been going on for more than six months now, and more than 60 days of protests at Delhi borders seemed to have led to this situation.
The violence and chaos in some areas overshadowed the peaceful tractor rally that passed through other parts of Delhi.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has been supporting the farmers’ agitation, condemned the violence and blamed the Central government for “allowing” Delhi’s law and order situation to deteriorate from bad to worse. In a statement, the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP said the violence has weakened the farmers’ protest.
Crowds began swelling at Delhi borders at around 8 am. Chants of “Kisan kanoon wapas lo” (Take back the farm laws) rent the air at borders where some tractors were playing patriotic songs such as, Aisa desh hai mera and Sare jahan se achcha.
The protesters were expected to start their tractor rally at noon to avoid interfering with morning Republic Day celebrations in central Delhi. The tricolour and flags of different farmers unions fluttered as marches began from Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur border points, much ahead of the time decided for the tractor parade. Security personnel tried to convince the protesters to stick to the designated route and time and maintain peace.
Things suddenly changed at about 8.35 am when some groups of farmers broke barricades to force their way into the capital. At the Ghazipur border, tractors pushed aside a shipping container placed to block their route while police, outnumbered, stood by helplessly. Elsewhere, thick clouds of tear gas rose over approved march routes as farmers on tractors, on horses and foot forcefully began their rally hours ahead of schedule.
Another small group of tractors and protesters broke away from the approved protest routes — tipping over buses and violently clashing with overwhelmed police officers armed with batons — as they marched toward central Delhi. A handful of protesters were also carrying swords, tridents, sharp daggers and battle axes.
Some of the most violent clashes took place at the ITO junction where protesters tried to break a final barrier and force their way towards central Delhi. Some angry farmers retreated and drove their tractors recklessly on a side road, forcing the police to resort to firing teargas.
There were chaotic scenes at ITO when protesters started chasing police personnel with sticks and ramming their tractors into the buses parked nearby. After almost a 40-minute long confrontation, this section of farmers moved towards Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg which houses the offices of AAP, Delhi Congress, BJP and this newspaper.
At the Chintamani Chowk in Shahdara too police resorted to lathicharge when protesters broke barricades and smashed window panes of cars. A group of “Nihangs” (traditional Sikh warriors) clashed with security personnel near Akshardham temple. At Nangloi Chowk in west Delhi and at Mukarba Chowk farmers broke cemented barricades and police used teargas to disperse them.