Route for tractor rally was not earmarked with barricades, BKU blames Delhi Police for violence

New Delhi: The Bhartiya Kisan Union blamed the Delhi Police and the local administration for the violence during farmers’ tractor rally at the national capital on Tuesday (January 26, 2021) because some of the earmarked spots were not barricaded. 

The BKU said the farmers were following the route that had been agreed for the tractor march, but at some places, the route was not earmarked with barricades which confused the farmers. They blamed the Delhi Police and local administration for the violence on Tuesday.

Spokesperson of BKU Rakesh Tikait said that the people who hoisted the flag on Red Fort were affiliated with the BJP. Tikait alleged that it was consipiracy and even claimed that some of those protesters have photos with the PM while one identified person is Sunny Deol’s representative.

Tikait said the Centre, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh administrations failed to stop the violence and even said that other political parties tried to incite violence.

He insisted that people from the farmer unions were not a part of the incident.

In an official statement it said: “The BKU strongly condemns the unpleasant incidents (violence) fuelled by some undesirable elements. We also express regrets at what happened today.” 

It however added that it holds the Delhi Police and the local administration responsible for the violence. 

In the wake of violence in the national capital following the farmers’ tractor rally, the Narendra Modi government at the Centre has decided to deploy additional paramilitary troops in Delhi to restore peace and maintain law and order.

On Tuesday, hundreds of protesting farmers barrelled through police barricades to enter Red Fort, ITO and other areas. They were wielding sticks and clubs and holding the tricolour and union flags they even clashed with police

Meanwhile, additional paramilitary personnel will be deployed in Delhi to restore peace and maintain law and order.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and attended by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava among others.

Farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points, including Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur, since November 28, demanding a complete repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price for their crops.