As farmers' protest staged in India's capital went out of control on Tuesday, with many demonstrators resorting to hooliganism while invading the city’s iconic Red Fort, politicians cutting across party lines have started condemning it.
#WATCH A protestor hoists a flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort in Delhi#FarmLaws #RepublicDay pic.twitter.com/Mn6oeGLrxJ
— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2021
India's Minister for Tourism and Culture and governing BJP leader Prahlad Singh Patel condemned the desecration of the capital city's historic Red Fort, where the prime minister of India delivers the national address on Independence Day (15 August).
लालकिला हमारे लोकतंत्र की मर्यादा का प्रतीक है,आन्दोलनकारियों को लालक़िले से दूर रहना चाहिए था।इसकी मर्यादा उलंघन की मै निंदा करता हूँ ।यह दुखद और दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है @PMOIndia @JPNadda @incredibleindia @ASIGoI @MinOfCultureGoI @tourismgoi @BJP4India @BJP4MP
— Prahlad Singh Patel (@prahladspatel) January 26, 2021
Rahul Gandhi, a key leader of India’s main opposition Congress party, opposed the farmers resorting to violence, but advised the government to revoke the new farm laws. He has been vocal in supporting the famers’ protests over the last two months and has been pressing the government over the farm laws.
हिंसा किसी समस्या का हल नहीं है। चोट किसी को भी लगे, नुक़सान हमारे देश का ही होगा।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 26, 2021
देशहित के लिए कृषि-विरोधी क़ानून वापस लो!
Most unfortunate. I have supported the farmers’ protests from the start but I cannot condone lawlessness. And on #RepublicDay no flag but the sacred tiranga should fly aloft the Red Fort.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 26, 2021
Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi described the chaos in Delhi as a "failure of the government".
This is the failure of the government to have not resolved the issue sooner, allowed it to fester for months&despite having constant inputs from various agencies about how things could go out of control not been prepared with adequate measures to stop this.
— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) January 26, 2021
What Happened in Delhi on Republic Day?
The Indian capital witnessed its annual parade on the occasion of the country's 72nd Republic Day on Tuesday. Farmers were set to hold a "Tractor Rally" on the day. Following many rounds of negotiations, they were allowed to stage their protest rally between 12.00 pm to 5.00 pm. However, they started it early in the morning in a city that is on a high alert due to the Republic Day celebrations.
It soon turned chaotic, as the farmers' tractor rally became violent. The protesters broke barricades and clashed with Delhi Police.
Incidents of violence and clashes were reported from a number of locations along the Delhi border and inside the capital city.
Meanwhile, to control the situation, the Indian Home Ministry issued orders to suspend the Internet connection in some parts of Delhi, as reported by several media houses.