New Delhi: The Kisan politics has taken a new twist in wake of violence at Red Fort on Republic Day. As the violent action of farmers’ agitation was exposed, and it was on the verge of losing popular support, political protagonists ascertained novel reasons to give it a new lease of life to serve their large political agenda.
After the 26 January violence, questions were asked as to what would be the next course of action of the leaders who extended support to the farmers’ protest, and on what basis the leaders of farmer unions will justify their movement? How will they respond to the question being raised on the hoisting of the flag of a particular religion on the Red Fort?
You will be surprised to know that politicians have come out with answers to justify these actions as they are striving hard to retain popular mass support that they have been losing. You should also understand that despite the unfortunate incident of violence on January 26, the nation’s politics is least affected.
On the other hand, the Budget session of Parliament commenced today with President Ram Nath Kovind’s address, wherein, the President termed the violence on January 26 as unfortunate. While President Kovind was speaking, MPs belonging to 18 opposition parties, including Congress, decided to boycott the House.
Congress MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, preferred to stage a protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in the Parliament complex, extending support to the farmers’ agitation. Rahul Gandhi further exposed his myopic political vision by lending his hand to 5 lakh people, who turned violent in the name of the Kisan movement, rather than standing behind the rest of the majority of people of India.
After getting a new lease of life, the agitating farmers have declared that they will neither end their movement nor will they take responsibility for the violence. This change was witnessed as several political leaders, including Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, visited the Ghazipur on the Delhi border where the farmers have been staging their protest for almost two months.
The entire focus of the movement has now shifted to the Ghazipur border, where Rakesh Tikait on Thursday night stated that he would not end this agitation even if the police opened fire. The BKU leader Rakesh Tikait broke down, and tension spiralled amid fears that the farmers would be forcibly removed by the local administration, all roads in western Uttar Pradesh it seemed led to Muzaffarnagar.
Tens of thousands of farmers gathered at Ghazipur to participate in a Mahapanchayat in a massive outpouring of support for the Bharatiya Kisan Union-led protest against the Centre’s new farm laws. His emotive plea, which was captured by television cameras and other media and was widely circulated, seemed to have propelled the crowd to head to the protest site at the UP Gate in Ghazipur and boost the numbers there. The Mahapanchayat resolved to throw its full weight behind the Ghazipur protest.
As Muzaffarnagar became the meeting point for farmers from across the region, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh also announced support for the BKU, and his son, party leader Jayant Chaudhary, participated in the Mahapanchayat.
Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav again came to the forefront, urging all farmers across India to send one member of their family at Delhi borders to participate in the protest. At the Delhi-Ghaziabad border, Yadav said `four drops` of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait`s tears washed the bad name that was given to the farmers, and added that “Modi ji and Yogi ji and all others must listen carefully, farmers will not go back from this movement humiliated and defamed.”
Yadav said, “They are saying they will charge us under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). They have changed us (union leaders) in many cases. They issued lookout notices against us, something that is issued against the absconding criminal trying to escape the country. I am asking the Delhi Police that they need to not issue the lookout notice against us.”
“We are standing here. No Rakesh Tikait is trying to escape from the country,” said the Swaraj India chief, adding that farmers “will stay here and fight here”.
Delhi Police has, however, asked nine farmer leaders to join the investigation in connection with the violence at Red Fort on January 26. The special investigation team (SIT) of Delhi Police has asked farmer leaders Rakesh Tikait, Pawan Kumar, Raj Kishore Singh, Tajender Singh Virk, Jitender Singh, Trilochan Singh, Gurmukh Singh, Harpreet Singh, and Jagtar Singh Bajwa to join the investigation.
It has forwarded the notices through WhatsApp to these leaders. A police team has also physically visited the tents where they were staying and pasted them there. Notably, the police have registered 33 FIRs in connection with the violence that left 394 police personnel injured and one protester dead. It has also issued lookout notices against 44 people.
