Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers' tractor rally violence: Entry gates of Delhi’s Lal Quila, Jama Masjid metro stations closed, says DMRC

The entry gates of Lal Quila and Jama Masjid metro stations on the violet line are closed, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said on Thursday. While commuters are allowed to exit the Jama Masjid metro station, the exit gates remain closed at Lal Quila.“Security Update Entry/exit gates of Lal Quila metro station are closed. Normal service is available on all other stations,” DMRC wrote on Twitter. “Security Update Entry gates of Jama Masjid metro station are closed,” it said in another tweet.The restrictions come after the farmers’ Republic Day parade in the national capital took a violent turn prompting DMRC to close the entry and exits of several metro stations on Tuesday.Security across several places in the city has been heightened, especially at the Red Fort and farmers’ protest sites following violence at the tractor rally on Tuesday. Additional paramilitary forces have also been deployed, according to PTI.The Delhi Police have registered over 25 cases and as many as 19 people were arrested and about 50 detained in connection with the violence, officials said. Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav, social activist Medha Patkar and Bharatiya Kisan Union-Tikait (BKU-Tikait) leader Rakesh Tikait were named in one of the FIRs. According to the FIR, they had “a pre-planned objective of not following the mutually agreed route and timing of their rally” and “disrupting the Republic Day parade”.After the chaos at the tractor rally, farm unions have called off their February 1 march to Parliament but they said they will continue with their agitation against the three agricultural laws enacted by the Centre in September last year. Leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Wednesday apologised for the violence that erupted in the national capital, however, they claimed there was a “deep-rooted conspiracy” to thwart the protest.Meanwhile, the Centre has said it will keep its communication channels with farm unions open and its offer to put the three legislation in abeyance for 18 months will stay. “It was the final offer from the government and it has not been withdrawn. The violence will be dealt with as per the law but talks with farmers can always continue,” an official said.

Hindustan Times

28-01-2021

Delhi