Unrelenting farmers will not stop protests till laws repealed
Question cops why Red Fort protesters were not fired upon
Farmers protesting against the Centre’s contentious farm laws refused to give up with Bharat Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait announcing that he was ready to face bullets.
Refusing to budge, Mr Tikair made it clear that he would vacate the site only after the three agriculture laws are repealed. “I will commit suicide. But I will not leave this place,” an emotional kisan leader said while appealing to other protesters to bring forward their tractors to form a cordon around him. He claimed that even electricity and water was cut at the site. “I will now drink water which is brought through tankers by protesting farmers.”
Earlier in the day, Mr Tikait had questioned why Delhi Police did not open fire to stop protesters from breaking into the Red Fort and hoist a religion flag there. “Who was the person who maligned an entire community and organisation?”
The crackdown on protesters continued with the Delhi Police issuing lookout notice against leaders who were named in the FIRs filed in connection with January 26 violence. The police has sought answers from the leaders in three days on why the agreement with the law enforcing agency was broken and rules flouted during the tractor parade.
The farmers have said there was a conspiracy to sabotage and malign their peaceful protest.
A statement issued by the police said: “A preliminary assessment suggests there was pre-conceived plan to break the agreement reached between police and leaders of farmers organisations. Special cell is investigating larger conspiracy.”