The farmers’ strike in Delhi against the new cultivation laws has reached 62 days. The initiative taken by 41 farmers’ unions in Delhi on January 26, Republic Day, turned violent. It is alleged that an artist named Deep Sidhu misled the farmers and diverted them towards the Red Fort. Farmers’ unions accused Deep Sidhu of being affiliated to the RSS. Farmers’ unions have accused the BJP government of conspiring to stifle their protest in the name of violence in the farmers’ protest parade. Farmers’ union leaders suspect that separatist forces were roped in to cause disruption and violence.
More than three lakh farmers in Delhi have been protesting for more than two months, braving the severe cold and rains. So far, no violent incidents took place. But there was intense violence during the tractor rally that took place on Republic Day (January 26). The Centre has been spying on Deep Sidhu as the main culprit. However, 22 FIRs have been registered against those believed to be responsible for the violence in Delhi. The Union Home Ministry said 37 people had been charged and 200 had been arrested.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized saying that conspiracies were hatched to violently manipulate the peaceful protest of farmers and suppress the agitation. He recalled Deep Sidhu as an RSS man. Two farmers’ unions called off the protest after violence. They said they were withdrawing as they could not work with such people.
It has to be said that the BJP leaders ‘strategy of creating divisions among the farmers’ unions had succeeded. Millions of people are likely to take part if farmers take out a rally and controlling them can be difficult at times. But most of the farmers in Delhi rallied peacefully.
But it seems that Deep Sidhu provoked the farmers, by diverting them and hoisted the flag over Red Fort. The violence is believed to have taken place due to the provocative speeches made by Deep Sidhu and he seems to have achieved his target. Deep Sidhu, has nothing to do with the farmer associations but what were the forces doing when he was making provocative speeches to divert the movement.
Thirty-nine farmer associations have stated that they will not withdraw their protest until the new laws are repealed. They are demanding that the illegal cases be dropped as the farmers were not involved in the violence that took place at the tractor rally. The leaders of the farmers’ unions were adamant that even if one or two unions withdrew from the protest of the farmers, they would go home only after achieving what they had planned.
Farmers and farmer associations are ready to continue the agitation even if there is no proper food and accommodation. The peasant movement is likely to continue for a long time if the Centre does not step down. The farmers are moving forward with the only demand for the repeal of the new laws. It is clear that agitation would continue until the laws are repealed.
