The so-called farmers’ protests which have been going on for the last two months on the borders of the Delhi have been completely exposed after violence that ensued on Republic Day and the subsequent desecration of the Red Fort. After exercising restraint on 26th January, the Central government and Delhi Police have started acting against the perpetrators of the violence which left hundreds of Police personnel injured. The Modi government has dealt with the farmers’ protests with the utmost patience despite the best attempts by the leaders of the protests to provoke and force the government’s hand into taking punitive action against the protesters. However, the government didn’t budge and the protesters finally ran out of patience as their thinly veiled mask was exposed and now, the government has pounced at the right opportunity to book the perpetrators of the violence.
In a major crackdown post the R-Day violence, 37 farmers’ union leaders, including six spokespersons of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), have been named in an FIR registered at the Samaypur Badli police station. Out of the 40 farm union leaders who were a part of the delegation which was holding talks with the Central government over the farm laws, over 30 of them find themselves mentioned in the FIRs filed by the Delhi Police. In this list of miscreants, Rakesh Tikait and Yogendra Yadav also find a mention.
The FIR states, “The rioters/ protesters and their leaders had a pre-planned objective of not following the mutually agreed route” because of which the violence took place. The wordings of the FIR indicate a long and severe punishment on the fake farmers and farm union leaders.
Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava, said, “We have arrested 19 and detained 50 people in connection with the violence during the farmers’ tractor rally. We are using the facial recognition system and taking the help of CCTV and video footage to identify the accused. Those involved in the violence will not be spared and the farmer leaders will be questioned.”
He added, “By late evening of January 25, there were indications that they would not keep their word. They brought forward the aggressive and militant elements, who occupied the stage and delivered provocative speeches which made their intentions clear. Farmer leaders were also involved in the violence that broke out during the tractor rally, Some farmer leaders like Satnam Singh Pannu and Darshan Pal gave inflammatory speeches, following which the protesters breached the barricades.”
Throwing light on the injuries inflicted on the Delhi Police by the violent protesters and fake farmers, Shrivastava said, “Police had many options, but remained calm. While 394 police personnel were injured, 30 police vehicles were damaged in the violence.”
It seems that the Central government after allowing the so-called farmers to completely expose themselves is now moving to nab the perpetrators of the violence at breakneck speed and end the agitation for good as any little public sympathy gained by the protesters have been negated after the events that ensued on Republic Day.