Farmers Movement Archive

No rioter will be spared: Delhi top cop

NEW DELHI: Delhi police commissioner S N Shrivastava on Wednesday held the farmer union leaders responsible for the violence in the capital on Republic Day. Hinting towards a pre-meditated conspiracy, the police chief accused the leaders of bringing “militant elements” – who were not at the forefront till then – into the picture from the night of January 25 and throwing the stage open to them that ultimately led to the large-scale violence. Addressing a press conference, the top cop asserted that Delhi Police will not spare anyone involved in the rioting. He said the number of police personnel injured in Tuesday’s mayhem stood at 394. “Nineteen people have been arrested till now and around 50 have been detained. Over 25 FIRs have been filed,” he announced. Facial recognition software is being used to identify the rioters. The commissioner accused the farmer leaders of going back on their agreement with the police and violating every condition that was agreed upon. He recalled how leaders like Darshan Pal Singh, Satnam Singh Pannu and others had given provocative speeches which led to the violence. Meanwhile, Darshan Pal Singh has been summoned by the police for questioning in connection with the violence. “The force showed extreme restraint so that there was no loss of life. It was done in everyone's interest,” the police commissioner added. The top cop recalled how they had come to know about the proposed rally on January 2 and immediately approached the farmers who were protesting under the aegis of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha. “Five rounds of extensive meetings were conducted. Initially, the kisan organisations were requested to change their date due to the police's commitments for the Republic Day parade security arrangements. Despite our repeated requests, they refused to budge,” said the police chief. The police, he said, offered them the entire peripheral expressway of 270 km along with security and traffic management. “After much persuasion, these leaders agreed on three routes for the tractor parade from three border points. As is the practice, Delhi Police requested the farmer organisations for an undertaking on the terms and conditions of the said tractor rally. This was agreed to by all the farmer organisations,” he added. Despite agreeing on the mutually decided terms and conditions for the rally, the farmer leaders acted in a very irresponsible manner on Tuesday, said Shrivastava. “Their wrong intent was apparent on the night of January 25 when the militant sections of the protesting farmers who were at the rear of the dharna were brought forward at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders. These militant elements occupied the stage and started provocative speeches right from the early hours of January 26," said the top cop. “On January 26, against the agreed time of 12 noon, the rally started at Singhu border at 7.30 am, at Tikri at 8.45am and at Ghazipur at 8.30 am,” he recalled. The protesters from Singhu came in larger numbers near Mukarba Chowk, and instead of turning right on the designated route, they tried to remove the barricades on the roads leading to Delhi, said Shrivastava. A large number of protesters began squatting at this place and dissuaded the others from going on the designated route. Some of the leaders of the Morcha were also part of the protesting farmers. Similarly, protesters from the Tikri border came up to Nangloi T-point, and instead of turning right, they tried to remove barricades placed on the roads leading to Delhi. "A good number of them sat down here too, prominent amongst them being Buta Singh Burjgil. After some time, all these protesting farmer organisations, despite their assurances to remain peaceful and take the rally along the designated route, removed the barricades and went towards Delhi," said the police chief. He said the most serious and reprehensible act was performed by these protesters at Red Fort. They climbed atop the ASI-protected monument, vandalised the whole area and unfurled a religious flag. "Flags of all the farmers organisations were later recovered from the Red Fort premises. The vandalisation of Red Fort on Republic Day was a most deplorable and anti-national act. Delhi Police has taken all these incidents of violence quite seriously," he said. "We want to make it clear to everyone that no one involved in these violent incidents will be spared. All the leaders of the farmer organisations who were participating in these violent activities would be prosecuted,” he said. Watch Strict action will be taken against all those involved in Republic Day violence: Delhi police

The Times of India

2021-01-28

India