India / 2 farmer unions withdraw from farmers' protest after Republic Day violence

NEW DELHI: Two farmer unions on Wednesday withdrew from the ongoing agitation on Delhi's borders against the three farm laws, a day after violence broke out in the national capital during the tractor parade.

Talking to reporters, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) president Thakur Bhanu Pratap Singh said he was deeply pained by whatever happened during the tractor parade in the national capital, adding that his union was ending its protest.

The union was staging the protest at the Chilla border.

VM Singh of Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan said that it is withdrawing from the ongoing agitation as they cannot carry forward a protest with someone "whose direction is something else".

"We can't carry forward a protest with someone whose direction is not with the issue. I wish them the best but VM Singh and Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan are withdrawing from this protest right away. This is the decision of Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan and not of the AIKSCC (All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee). This is the decision of VM Singh, Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan and all office bearers," Singh said.

He alleged that Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait had not raised the issue of farmers from Uttar Pradesh in meetings with Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

"Rakesh Tikait went for five to six meetings. Did he once raise the issues of UP farmers even once? We did not come here (Delhi borders) to defame ourselves and our country or make martyrs of ourselves. We came here to fight for a guarantee for MSP," he said.

He further said that action should be taken against all those who indulged in untoward incidents on Tuesday.

Earlier, while speaking to news agency ANI, the farmer leader condemned the violence that took place yesterday in several parts of the city and alleged that decisions regarding the protests were being made behind that back of the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan

"We came for MSP, not hooliganism. Action must be taken against those who took different routes. Yesterday's events were shameful, he said.

He said that they followed the route that had been decided for the tractor rally. "Why did others not follow it?" he asked.

Several incidents of vandalism and violence took place across the national capital during the tractor march organised by farmer unions against the Centre's three new farm laws. Public property was also damaged in acts of vandalism by the rioting mob.

Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws - Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. (ANI)

The tractor parade on Tuesday that was to highlight the demands of the farmer unions to repeal three new agri laws dissolved into anarchy on the streets of the city as tens of thousands of protesters broke through barriers, fought with police, overturned vehicles and hoisted a religious flag on the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort.