FARMERS

three entry into Delhi -- all entered Delhi ahead of a schedule that had been decided upon to ensure no disturbance to the Republic Day parade, and sections from all deviated from the route they had agreed on. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha blamed another farm organisation, the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, and two individuals, Deep Sindhu and Lakha Sidhana, for the violations, the violence, and hoisting of religious flags atop the Red Fort that the government said was an act that dishonoured the national flag.

“When an organisation and an individual who are not part of our movement climbed on top of the Red Fort and hoisted a religious flag, why did police not stop them or fire a single bullet? This is clearly a conspiracy,” said Rakesh Tikait, another farm leader. He, however, did not offer any evidence to back the claim.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU)’S Bhanu faction called off its 58-day protest at the Chilla border connecting Delhi and Noida, while condemning Tuesday’s violence. Traffic on the arterial road, disrupted since early-december, was restored late in the evening.

“We are still against the farm laws and want the government to withdraw it. We will decide on our course of action later... We can’t be part of the ongoing protest now,” said Ajab Singh Kasana, vice-president of the group. Back in Uttar Pradesh, a section of Bku-bhanu leaders appeared unhappy with the decision. They called an emergency meeting on Thursday.

In the government’s first reaction to the incident, Union minister Prakash Javadekar, on the sidelines of a press conference, said on Wednesday: “India won’t tolerate the manner in which the

Tricolour was insulted at the Red Fort.”

“Whatever happened on Republic Day was a conspiracy by one organisation and two individuals. But since we gave the call for the tractor march, we are morally responsible and apologise,” Yogendra Yadav of the Jai Kisan Andolan and an organiser of the protests said.

But the larger question farm unions were grappling with after the violence was about reclaiming their credibility and avoiding violence.

As a first step, the farm unions changed their agitation agenda to call for a countrywide fast on January 30, the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, as a mark of repentance, Yadav said.

One leader of the unions said a “reorganisation” of the movement and the organisations leading it was on the cards.

“For the acts of certain players who were not central to our movement, we have suffered a loss of image,” said Avik Saha, the secretary of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), a platform that has been a key decisionmaker in the Samyukt Kisan Morcha.

“There will be reorganisation of the movement and we will choose our associates. We will look into who is to be excluded and included…it is a complicated issue. Elaborate discussions are happening,” Saha added.

Appearing to outline a course correction for the agitation, he said: “We will focus on people working for the same purpose rather than any broad-based unity. Anybody who says he or she supports the farmers’ cause needn’t be a part of the movement.” Despite the setback, leaders of the farm movements ruled out any question of folding up their agitation.