The Shiv Sena on Thursday alleged that the BJP-led Centre instigated the farmers to commit violence on Republic Day only to discredit their peaceful protest against the three new farm laws. In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, Sena said the violence that rocked the national Capital on Republic Day could never be justified but the farmers alone can’t be blamed for it.
“The farmers’ agitation against the three farm laws has been going on in a peaceful manner for the last 60 days. There was neither any division among the protesting farmers, nor did they lose their patience. The Centre could not do much about it. It wanted the farmers’ to get provoked and turn violent so that their protest gets maligned,” the Sena said.
The Sena also asserted that farmers with sticks in their hands were being called “anti-national” while people who say “goli maaro” and “khatam karo” were still in PM Narendra Modi’s Cabinet. “Despite being called Khalistani, the farmers remained calm,” the Sena mouthpiece said.
The BJP’s “intelligence machinery” found that the violence was pre-planned and “terrorists have taken over the agitation”, the Sena alleged.
“The leader of the violent protest at Red Fort was one Deep Sidhu, associated with the BJP. BJP’s Punjab MP Sunny Deol has a close relationship with Sidhu. Farmer leaders have said that Sidhu was instigating the farmers for the last two months, but everyone showed patience,” the Sena added.
“It is not correct to blame only the farmers for the violence in Delhi. What the government wanted was brought to reality, but farmers and the police suffered due to it,” it added.
Nineteen people have been arrested so far and over 25 criminal cases registered by Delhi Police in connection with the violence that broke out during the farmers’ tractor march on Tuesday. Delhi Police has also issued lookout notices to over 20 farmer leaders.
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