R-Day violence: Rakesh Tikait accuses Delhi Police of conspiracy

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Arajnaitik) leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday accused the Delhi Police of conspiracy behind the Republic Day violence.

Tikait who was en route to Jind to attend a Mahapanchayat, told , "We have been holding panchayats since the last 35 years, protests are orgsed at Jantar Mantar but did any farmer orgsation reach Parliament? A man was misled, an announcement was made and after 13 hours a religious flag was hoisted at the Red Fort. This is being investigated."

"The Delhi Police has conspired to do this and it is the main culprit. It barricaded the route allotted to us for the tractor rally and opened Delhi giving way to the farmers to enter the national capital," he stated.

On Republic Day, protestors did not follow the prearranged route and broke barricades to enter Delhi, clashed with police, and vandalised property in several parts of the national capital during the farmers' tractor rally. They also entered the Red Fort and unfurled their flags from its ramparts.

Talking about holding panchayats Tikait said, "Our main aim is to visit villages and gather their support. Such panchayats will be held across the country until the government accepts our demands. If the government does not fulfill our demands, we will implement our proposal of gathering 40 lakh tractors and take out 'yatras' across the country to protest against the government."

In view of the framers' protest, the Haryana khap has orgsed "kisan mahapanchayat" today in Haryana's Jind. Rakesh Tikait and several other leaders of various farmer unions are slated to address the gathering. The mahapanchayat will be held in the sports stadium of Kandela village.

Security has been beefed up at Delhi's Ghazipur, Singhu and Tikri borders in view of the farmers' stir.

Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

( With inputs from ANI )