A day after the national capital witnessed unprecedented violence during Republic Day tractor rally - the Delhi Police on Wednesday alleged that farmer leaders made inflammatory speeches and were involved in the violence that left 394 of its personnel injured.
Addressing a press conference, Delhi police commissioner SN Srivastava said farmer unions broke the barricades and refused to stick to the designated route. As many as 25 FIRs have been registered so far, the senior police officer said, adding that no culprit will be spared.
Farmer leaders today appealed to protesting farmers to maintain peace and said their agitation against the centre's agricultural laws is a long one. Farmers also said they have suspended plans for a march to parliament next Monday, when the country's annual budget will be unveiled.
Meanwhile, Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu has come under scrutiny for the violence in Delhi. The actor-activist, once known to be close to movie star-turned-BJP MP Sunny Deol, was last seen at Red Fort, which became the epicenter of the chaos that descended upon Delhi. In a post on Facebook last evening, Deep Sidhu has defended the act, saying the protesters did not remove the national flag but put up the "Nishan Sahib" as a symbolic protest. He also claimed that it was a spontaneous act.
Satnam Singh Pannu, the farmer leader who knocked down the first barricade has denied any role in the Red Fort breach, has blamed the ruling BJP of organising the Red Fort violence to tarnish the farmer protests.
Here are the live updates on farmers' protest:
On Martyrs' Day, we'll hold public rallies across India on behalf of the farmers' agitation. We will also keep a one-day fast. Our March to the Parliament on Feb 1st stands postponed for now due to this (yesterday's violence): Balbir S Rajewal, Bhartiya Kisan Union (R)#FarmLaws pic.twitter.com/b5dH9U6czJ
- ANI (@ANI) January 27, 2021
- Farmers at Singhu broke the barricades at 6.30 am itself. They didn't stick to designated route.
- Darshan Pal Singh too refused to stick to the designated route
- Similar defiance at Tikri and Ghazipur borders also.
- The official event of Republic Day was to end at 12 noon. Hence 12-5 pm was fixed.
- Bhutta Singh along with his team indulged in violence at Nangloi junction (Tikri border).
- Farmers along with Rakesh Tikait indulged in violence at Ghazipur and reached Red Fort.
- Police had got all the options but exercised restraint despite all the options. We didn't want any loss of life.
- 394 police personnel injured. Some are still in hospital.
- 428 barricades, 4 X-rays, 30 PCR vehicles, 6 containers have been damaged
- We used tear gas to control the crowd.
- Some farmers reached Red Fort and hoisted religious flag.
- We have the videos of the violence. We are using facial recognition tools to identify them. All those will be arrested
- More than 25 cases have been registered. No culprit will be spared. No one will be spared. Even the unions will be investigated.
- We received intel inputs and we acted promptly on it.
- It is based on these inputs, we even acted against those 300 odd Twitter accounts.
- Not even one died because of police action.
- 19 have been arrested and 50 detained and questioned.
A day after violence during the farmers' tractor rally in Delhi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has appealed to the Narendra Modi government to repeal, what he claimed were, "anti-agriculture" laws. Read more
"विनम्र तरीक़े से आप दुनिया हिला सकते हैं।"
- Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 27, 2021
-महात्मा गांधी
एक बार फिर मोदी सरकार से अपील है कि तुरंत कृषि-विरोधी क़ानून वापस लिए जाएँ।
Most of farmer orgs who are part of the ongoing farmers' agitation today held a meeting under chairmanship of Balbir Singh Rajewal. Sincere appreciation was conveyed to struggling farmers for extending an unprecedented response to Kisan Republic Day Parade: Samyukt Kisan Morcha
- ANI (@ANI) January 27, 2021
Delhi: Traffic congestion continues in parts of the national capital; visuals from Bhairon Road. pic.twitter.com/7yls2LNNoH
- ANI (@ANI) January 27, 2021
#TractorRally | Over 300 police personnel injured in violence, 2 policemen seriously hurt
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 27, 2021
NDTV's Parimal speaks to Dr Suresh Kumar at Lok Nayak Hospital, where some cops are admitted pic.twitter.com/wR6MmFqvsw
Akhilesh Yadav On Farmers Tractor Rally Violence: BJP ResponsibleSamajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday held the BJP-led central government responsible for turning farmers'' "resentment into anger" and demanded immediate withdrawal of new agri laws."
A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said it is important to respect peaceful protests, freedom of assembly and non-violence. Secretary-General Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric, in his response to a question on the violence in New Delhi during his daily press briefing on Tuesday, said: "As we say in many of these cases, I think it''s important to respect peaceful protests, freedom of assembly and non-violence".
#WATCH: Broken shards of glass, scattered pieces of paper and vandalised ticket counter seen at the Red Fort in Delhi.
- ANI (@ANI) January 27, 2021
A group of protestors climbed to the ramparts of the fort and unfurled flags on January 26. pic.twitter.com/myCOU9QrJK
Delhi Traffic Advisory: Many Delhi Roads Shut Day After Republic Day Tractor Rally Violence: Routes To AvoidSeveral key roads in central Delhi and entry to Metro stations in the Old City have been closed in view of heightened security a day after violence that broke out during protesting farmers' Republic Day tractor rally that left one dead and at least 85 policemen injured."
Day after farmer-police clashes, farmer leaders to address protesters today
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 27, 2021
NDTV's Mohammed Ghazali reports from Chandigarh pic.twitter.com/MHNpQ4Crcb
Delhi: Heavy security deployment at Tikri border where farmers are protesting against #FarmLaws. pic.twitter.com/pizT7EJDHU
- ANI (@ANI) January 27, 2021
Traffic Alert
- Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) January 27, 2021
मिन्टो रोड से कनाट प्लेस जाने वाले मार्ग को बंद कर दिया गया है, कृपया इस मार्ग के प्रयोग से बचें
"We must remember the farmers' movement is foundational; it's not about unfurling any flag, or any violence... The movement will move from strength to strength," says Avik Saha, National Convenor, Jai Kisan Andolan#KisanTractorRally pic.twitter.com/Xj97xA8vOs
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 27, 2021
Farmers Protest: Day After Clashes, Farmer Leaders To Address Protesters Today: 10 PointsFarmer leaders from Punjab will address protesting farmers at one of the key Delhi-Haryana borders this morning, a day after the capital witnessed unprecedented violence as a Republic Day tractor rally by farmers in protest of the centre's agricultural laws went off the scheduled course and rolled into the iconic Mughal-era Red Fort. One farmer died on the way to Red Fort, with the police saying it was an accident. 86 police personnel were injured in Tuesday's violence and 15 cases have been registered, Delhi Police said."
"Those associated with our organisation have all come back from Delhi. Some political parties wanted to see violence in the protest from our end," says RS Cheema, Farmer Leader#TractorRally pic.twitter.com/Cik4MsokO6
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 27, 2021
Live visuals | Heavy security deployment at Red Fort following yesterday's clashes#farmersprotest #tractorrally pic.twitter.com/64TnmUlq2X
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 27, 2021
"#DelhiPolice had enough time to prepare themselves. But as a professional I can make out that they had some instructions to allow farmers to enter Delhi," says Ramesh Bhatia, former Additional DCP, Delhi Police to NDTV pic.twitter.com/hRHWJ3H70z
- NDTV (@ndtv) January 27, 2021
Farmer Protests, Republic Day: Farmer Dies As Tractor Overturned During Protests In Central Delhi: Cops
Security Update
- Delhi Metro Rail Corporation I कृपया मास्क पहनें😷 (@OfficialDMRC) January 27, 2021
Entry gates of Lal Quila metro station are closed. Exit is permitted at this station.
All other stations are open. Normal services on all lines.
86 Cops Injured, 4 Cases Filed Over Tractor Rally Violence, Say PoliceThe Delhi Police have filed four cases in connection with the vandalism in East Delhi during the Republic Day tractor rally by farmers protesting against the Centre's three contentious farm laws passed in September.
