Farmers Movement Archive

Latest video on Deep’s FB page holds farm leaders guilty of provocation

Bathinda: While Deep Sidhu is in the judicial custody after being arrested for his involvement in the Republic Day violence at the Red Fort, a video has been posted on his verified Facebook page that puts the blame of January 26 incidents squarely on various farmer union leaders with clips from their various speeches and statements included as “proof”. While is not known who is operating his profile while Sidhu is being bars, the video (recorded both in Punabi and Hindi) has over 2 lakh views and garnered over 20,000 likes and is a clear effort at washing his image clean. While farmer union leaders have cleared held him responsible for the incident of raising ‘nishan sahib’ and farmers’ flags at Red Fort, the over 7-minute-long video clip has clips about the provocative speeches made by farm leaders at different points of time weaved together. It was posted on February 23. Through the video it is being projected that it was not Deep Sidhu who lead the protesters to Red Fort, but it is the protesters who made him climb the ramparts of the Red Fort. In the latest video clip the speeches of senior farm leader Rakesh Tikait, Gurnam Singh Chadauni, Sarwan Singh Pandher, Satnam Singh Pannu, Rajinder Singh Deep Singh Wala and former gangster Lakha Sidhana have been weaved into one. Different leaders can be heard asking farmers to ride the tractors on the chest of PM Narendra Modi, threatening Delhi Police against stopping farmers, calling it tractor parade a final match, and announcing plans to go to Red Fort. Some extract has also been added from previous videos of Deep Sidhu when he had gone online in the wee hours of January 28 while in hiding. Now, question is being asked as to who is operating his operating the social media account while he is in jail. Even Sidhana, Sidhu’s co-accused, has gone online twice in last few days despite being wanted by Delhi Police and carrying Rs 1 lakh reward for information on him.

The Times of India

2021-02-26

Chandigarh