Protesting farmers demand judicial probe into Republic Day violence

The farmers agitating against the three new agri laws have demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the violence at Red Fort and other places in Delhi during their tractor rally on January 26. The protesters also demanded a probe into the role of Delhi Police in the entire episode.

The agitators claimed that there was a deep-rooted conspiracy to defame the farm protest by diverting the designated route for the tractor rally on the Republic Day.

A legal committee of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) during its recent meeting has recommended that the probe be conducted by an independent panel of a retired high court or Supreme Court judge.

"We have written to the Delhi government and have recommended an independent judicial inquiry to expose a planned conspiracy to defame the farm protest by diverting the designated route for the tractor rally on Republic Day. Also, we have also demanded an independent inquiry into the role of the Delhi Police on this matter," Prem Singh, a member of the BKU, told media.

He also alleged that the religious flag was hoisted at the Red Fort to communalise the situation and create a division between the Sikh and Hindu communities.

On January 26, thousands of farmers, protesting against the new farm laws passed by the Centre, reached ITO from the Ghazipur border and clashed with police. Many of them driving tractors reached the Red Fort and entered the monument, where a religious flag was also hoisted. Over 500 police personnel were injured and one protester died.

In the FIR registered in connection with the Red Fort violence, police said two magazines with 20 live cartridges were snatched from two constables by protesters who also damaged vehicles and robbed anti-riot gear.