INDIA. Delhi: Groups of protesting farmers camping at Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur border points of the national capital broke police barricades on Tuesday morning to force their way into the city, much ahead of the time they were granted permission by Delhi Police for their tractor parade. Farmers have literally seized central Delhi including the famous Red Fort. Protesters have attacked police personnel and vandalised police vehicle and also Delhi buses at various locations in central Delhi. Delhi Police personnel were outnumbered and resorted to tear gas on farmers. Rapid Action Force has been deployed and as a precautionary measure, all the Delhi Metro stations have been shut down.
Earlier tractors bearing flags were seen, along with men and women dancing, as security personnel tried to convince farmers to stick to the decided plan of holding the tractor parade after the conclusion of the Republic Day parade at the Rajpath.
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Farmers also marched on foot in large numbers holding flags of different farmer unions and raising slogans. Some were seen riding motorcycles and horses. People also perched atop their tractors and raised slogans and sang revolutionary songs.
A senior police officer said that a group of farmers entered the national capital after breaking the barricades. He further said, “As per the agreement, they were supposed to start their parade at the time specified but they forcefully entered Delhi.”
On Sunday, Delhi Police had allowed the tractor rally after the annual Republic Day parade. The protesters were told they can’t disrupt the celebrations at Rajpath even as the farmers insisted their parade will be peaceful.
It should be noted here thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points since November 28, demanding a complete repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price for their crops.
With inputs from various news agencies – ANI, PTI, IANS and others.
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