Violence 'handiwork of agents provocateurs', can't detract focus from farmers' main demand, says CPI(M)

The Politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) called upon the Central government to immediately announce the repeal of farm laws and said the violence during the tractor parade in the national capital was the "handiwork of agents provocateurs."

"The Politburo of the CPI(M) calls upon the Central government to immediately announce the repeal of these laws and move towards this end in the forthcoming budget session of the Parliament... The untoward incidents that occurred cannot detract the focus from the main demand. These incidents, handiwork of agent provocators, some with links to the ruling party, have been denounced by the entire farmers' movement," CPI (M) said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Over a lakh of tractors participated with farmers peacefully moving on the agreed routes for the parade. This struggle emphatically reiterated that these farm laws must be repealed and the MSP must be legislated as the legal right of all farmers in the country," the statement read.

The party alleged that the police caused obstruction even on the routes that had been agreed upon by resorting to lathi charges and teargasing, 'provoking naturally an angry reaction'.

This comes in light of several incidents of vandalism that took place across the national capital during the Kisan tractor rally orgsed by farmer unions against the Centre's three new farm laws. Several public and private properties were damaged in acts of vandalism by the rioting mob.

The Delhi Police has detained 200 people in connection with the violence that broke out. In a statement, the Delhi Police on Wednesday said the "detained persons will be arrested soon."

A total of 22 FIRs have been registered regarding the violence, in which over 300 police personnel were injured.

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 )