Tales of tractor rally on Republic Day through the lens
Violence was the norm of the day, it seems, during the Republic Day tractor rally organised by farmers protesting against the three farm laws passed last year. As the tractor rallies moved from various borders of Delhi, notably Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur, the farmers were welcomed by police with teargas shells as well as baton charge, literally right from the moment the rallies had started in the morning. The police blame the protestors for not following the agreed route or the timings, while the farmers accused the police of going back on their word by placing barricades in their way and attacking them unnecessarily.
The brunt of the violence, however, occurred at the ITO as well as Red Fort and at the latter the police seemed content to stand by and watch as a handful of protestors climbed the ramparts of the World Heritage site, unfurled various flags, including the Sikh religious flag Nishan Sahib, as well as flags of the Kisan Morcha. Dozens of others went around smashing fixtures at the Red Fort and also clashed with the police forces inside the fort in which several protestors as well as policemen were hurt.
