August 10, 2026

Violence During Tractor Rally: Totally Unacceptable

By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2021-01-27 07:31:17

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Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator. Author of Cyber Scams in India, Digital Arrest, The Money Trap and The Human Hack

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The chaos, indiscipline and violence witnessed at the Red Fort during the tractor rally taken out by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha to protest against the new farm laws was always on the cards given the fact that there was no single leader or even a group of leaders among the farmers popular and strong enough to keep things in check. A grouping of more than 40 farm unions, mainly from Punjab and Haryana with token representation from other states, with no clear leadership and a number of hot-headed youths yearning for confrontation after more than two months of inertia at the borders of Delhi was in no position to prevent infiltrators and outside elements who could mislead the youth and create a situation the opposite of what the Morcha wanted to achieve. In doing so, they have played straight into the hands of the authorities who will now rubbish the movement.

The way the violent mob broke the barriers and fought with the police at various places, particularly at the Red Fort, showed that it was not spontaneous. The whole affair seemed pre-planned and it was a complete failure on part of the Morcha as well as the police who did not get an idea as to what was in store. For the last few months, there has been a debate on the usefulness of sedition laws in this age, but the way the mob hoisted a religious flag where the National Flag is supposed to be hoisted was an insult to the nation and deserves to be punished as sedition. Whatever the dispute any group has with the government of the day, it cannot do anything that qualifies as an insult to the nation.

As usual, the blame game has started. The farmers are saying that Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu was instrumental in misguiding some of the youngsters and they have also alleged that government agencies too fanned the violence. The government, on the other hand, has said that the farm unions have no control over the farmers. BJP leaders have started saying that union leaders are puppets of the Opposition. Whatever the reason, the fact is that more than 100 police personnel were injured, public and private property was damaged and anti-national acts were committed by the mob. The conspiracy needs to be uncovered and the perpetrators need to be identified and punished. The Delhi police have already filed 22 FIRs and have started scanning CCTV footage to identify the miscreants. 

Let us take the farmers version first. If Deep Sidhu did what he is claimed to have done, then why did the unions allow him to address the farmers from day one of the agitation? It has been reported that Sidhu was visiting different gatherings at different borders and was making inflammatory speeches, sometimes even invoking Jarnail Singh Bhinderwale. Why did the unions allow that? Why did they not ban him from having any truck with the protest movement? There have been reports of involvement of other farm leaders too. As for the charge that government agencies were also involved, not much importance can be attached to it unless the unions prove it.

The government charge that unions have no control over the farmers seems true. If that is the case, then the unions should not have taken out the rally. They have now lost all respect and the goodwill generated by the largely peaceful protest will soon evaporate. The unions have been steadfast in refusing all overtures and seem to be totally against reforms. This situation cannot be allowed to continue any longer. They must come up with alternatives or be prepared for the decision of the Supreme Court for they seem to be closing all other avenues of negotiations with the government.