Opposition parties on Tuesday condemned the violence in the wake of clashes between police and protesting farmers after thousands of farmers stormed the national Capital riding their tractors.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said violence is not the solution to any problem. “Violence is not the solution to any problem. Irrespective of who gets hurt, it’s the country which will suffer. Take back the anti-agricultural law for the sake of the country,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted. Rahul and his party have been continuously backing the protest by various farmers’ union over the controversial farm laws.
With a large number of protesting farmers from Punjab, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh appealed for peace and said the country is with farmers.
“The farm laws are completely wrong as they are against federalism since agriculture is a State subject under Schedule 7 of the Constitution. Be peaceful and the country is with you,” Amarinder Singh said in his message posted through social media.
Shiv Sena leader and a Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “It is saddening that people are defending the sacrilege that we witnessed at Red Fort, dear apologists there is only one flag and that is the Indian Flag that should fly high from the ramparts of our historic monument however strong a cause for protest one might have.”
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury however attacked the Delhi Police for “excecess” and said, “using tear gas and lathicharge on kisan is unacceptable”.
“Why, after the Delhi Police and Samyukt Kisan Morcha agreement? Why is the Government provoking a confrontation. They must allow the peaceful, agreed tractor parade to continue,” he said in a reaction prior to the hooliganism at Red Fort.
Opposition parties, which tried to block the farm Bills in Parliament last September, had requested President Ram Nath Kovind not to sign on the Bills. The Bills, they had said, were passed in the Rajya Sabha in an undemocratic manner. The President, however, had given his assent to all three Bills.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) too condemned the violence seen in tractor rally protest and blamed the Centre for leading to such a crisis in the national Capital. “It is regrettable that the Central Government allowed the situation to deteriorate to such an extent. The movement has been peaceful for the last two months,” said AAP in its message.
Congress leader and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor expressed concern over the death of a protesting farmer.
“Saddened to learn about the death of a protester in police firing. Authorities must urge the police to observe restraint. Violence resolves nothing and resorting to it reduces the State to the level of its enemies. We must resolve this crisis through democratic means, not force,” he said.
Rajya Sabha member Abhishek Singhvi said there is a sheer anarchy, utter lawlessness, and an absolute mess. Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergil said the protest will weaken due to such acts.
“This Government defines inefficiency, mismanagement, and transgression. The Government has taught the world how to turn a peaceful protest into a mobocracy,” Singhvi tweeted.
“Peace is the strength of any protest and gets weakened when you need to bank upon violence – urge both sides (protesters & police) to remain calm, follow the dharma of democracy because when lives are lost and national property is damaged then it is loss of entire nation,” said Shergill.
Wednesday, 27 January 2021 | PNS | New Delhi
