MHA blames farmers for R-Day violence in Delhi

New Delhi, March 10 : The Home Affairs Ministry on Wednesday accused the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) of violating permission granted for taking out ‘Kisan Tractor Parade’ on the occasion of the Republic Day in the national capital.
Citing reports received from the Delhi Police, Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy informed the Rajya Sabha said the group broke the barricades, in violation of permission granted to them on a mutual acceptance route.
Sanyukt Kisan Morcha’ is a united front of over 40 Indian farmers unions constituted in November last year to coordinate the farmers’ protest against the central government over the three contentious farm laws enacted in September last year during the Monsoon session of Parliament.
In a written reply to the query of Aam Aadmi Party member N.D. Gupta about “nails fixed at farmer’s protest site”, Reddy said the farmers proceeded towards Central Delhi despite being stopped at other barricades inside the city and broke through those barricades as well.
In view of this experience and the manner in which the farmers used tractors as weapons for breaking barricades and injuring policemen, the Minister said the barricades and the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border were strengthened to prevent any possible repeat of conduct displayed on Republic Day.
The MHA said adequate deployment of police personnel is made for providing alternative routes to the general public, ensuring law and order and for ensuring smooth movement of traffic at borders.