Chandigarh, February 6, 2021: Following the nation-wide call for ‘Chakka Jaam’ by the farmers union, farmer organization in Jammu stage protest on Jammu-Pathankot highway on Saturday.
“We appeal to the govt to repeal these laws. We support the farmers protesting on the borders of Delhi,” says a protester
Narendra Modi’s comments on the tricolour and “insults to it” should be seen in the background of the nature of the current protests and the RSS’s ritual opposition to the same tricolour until recently.
“India was saddened by the insult to the tricolour on Republic Day” stated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a few days ago.
He was referring, obviously, to the mayhem that broke out when farmers, their friends and enemies, streamed into Delhi on January 26.
‘India’, on behalf of whom Modi now speaks with unusual authority, is surely entitled to feel more than hurt if the flag was desecrated. This charge, however, camouflages more than it reveals. During the protest, the national flag atop Red Fort was not only untouched, but the Nishan Sahib that was hoisted on the fort’s ramparts was certainly not the flag of ‘Khalistan’ – as was let loose into the breeze, quite mischievously.
It was at a considerable distance from the tricolour and its pole was nowhere near in height. What intrigues me the most is why the person who led the move to plant the flag is moving around so sure of himself and posting video messages on social media.
Since the entire world knows that he was (and may still be) associated with the ruling party, it is surely time for the nurser of hurts to come out and declare his ‘official’ position on him. After all, the man purported to have been behind the flag hoisting has flaunted his photograph next to the prime minister, and since this cannot be dismissed as ‘crowd scene’ snap, “the nation needs to know” who or what prompted him to cause the hurt.
The narrative that is being sought to be peddled is, however, fraught with danger.
By highlighting that someone from the Sikh community defiled the national flag, an entire people is sought to be dragged in. The community has always produced excellent farmers and has historically provided the finest of soldiers – many more than people whose belligerent talk is certainly not matched by their numbers joining the army.
A patriotic community cannot be vilified just because it took the lead in opposing suspiciously rushed-through pieces of legislation.
What the dispensation’s cheerleaders have not understood, among countless other things, is that the long and peaceful agitation of farmers at Delhi’s borders is fast becoming a metaphor for righteous resistance – and may soon join the ranks of Chipko, Champaran or Bardoli.
Public imagination is in the process of inscribing the name of the tormentor who launched unprovoked depredations on agitating agriculturalists quite permanently into popular lore. Once that happens, woe betide the villain of such balladic tales, for his name shall be spat upon for ever.
Also read: In 2014, the Sikh Flag Flew at the Red Fort – And the Hindu Rightwing Had No Complaints
Even dropping innuendos about Sikhs fomenting trouble and proclaiming them or a section as ‘anti-national separatists’ without first providing solid evidence is outrageous. Some Khalistani supporters may have penetrated the huge ocean of protesting farmers, but can anyone swear that there is no foreign agent ensconced within the upper echelons of this regime – or any other?
Punjab has suffered more than its share of political outrage, stoked often by religious fanatics and their opponents. It is only prudent not to stomp with jackboots on sensitive issues that may ignite other problems. To fling conspiracy theories around would also whip up outrage. It is imperative for the regime to desist from short-term outwitting games and, instead, attend to the disaffection caused by these Acts.
Two simple public statements may defuse the situation immediately – one, that the time-tested MSP (minimum support price) system would remain, and the other that all the talk of Ambani-Adani grabbing farm produce is not true.
OTHER LINKS WHO DONOT SUPPORT FARMERS :::PRAISES BILLLS
A ruler would then not have to dig deep trenches, build concrete walls and drive killer spikes to barricade himself from his own people. Besides, if we are to give some credence to organisations of agitating farmers, that have held together millions in absolute peace for over two months, there is certainly much more that what met the eye and the television cameras on India’s most boisterous Republic Day.
The identity of those agent provocateurs and others who broke into Delhi with so relative ease, much before the appointed hour of the peaceful ‘tractor rally’, and then fought pitched battles with the police needs just time and sincerity to be established. There is abundant camera footage available. It was the unruly exertions of these groups that incensed captive television audiences. The latter was larger than usual, as it was a holiday, and everything appeared to be working on cues. Anchors competed with each other to scream and condemn the violence – as is only expected when dramatic displays of indignation at dissent have become so institutionalised.
Also read: Why Was the Red Fort Left Unguarded When Delhi Was on ‘High Alert’?
Contemporary history tells us that India has seen many such and several more virulent protests in recent decades, but hardly ever has public vexation been titrated and channelised so effectively. Those who opposed well-fortified governments earlier were certainly not doing so by showering rose petals on the sentinels. But, they were not automatically condemned as seditionists and user-friendly media did not bay for their blood.
Let us recall, for instance, the Navnirman Andolan of Gujarat in which, in which Narendra Modi claims to have played an active role. Destruction of public property was rampant, as was arson, and credible reports indicate that nearly a hundred persons died in violent clashes with government forces. About 3,000 were injured and police records attest that over 8,000 were arrested.
Also read: The Emergency, and the BJP’s Hidden History of Student Protest
Literally, hundreds of other similar destructive public protests and eruptions have wracked the country since then, but regime-apologists were not to tear their vocal chords in frenzied bouts of feigned horror. The point is that protests do often boil over – in every age and in every country.
The perceived ‘violence’ in the USA during the recent ‘Black Lives Matter’ agitation is just one painful example. No one in their right mind can either encourage or condone violence. Rulers also need to make more sincere and less juvenile, media-targeted attempts to get to the roots of such effervescent angst.
When Modi mentions of India’s sadness at the insult to the tricolour, it is only befitting to recall the stand that his own parent organisation, the RSS, took just before Independence. Its mouthpiece, Organiser, mentioned in its issues of July 17 and 22, 1947, that the Indian tricolour will “never be respected and owned by the Hindus.”
According to it, “The word three is in itself an evil, and a flag having three colours will certainly produce a very bad psychological effect and is injurious to a country.”
This is obviously incorrect, as ‘three’ is so prominent in Hinduism – from the trishul to trimurti, the three-pronged sacred weapon of Hindus to the holy triumvirate of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar.
Also read: A Farmer Can’t Be Draped in the Tricolour at His Funeral, But a Lynching Accused Can
Modi’s guru M.S. Golwalkar, the second chief of the RSS, also bemoaned that independent India’s “leaders have set up a new flag for the country – why did they do so?”
In his Bunch of Thoughts, he declared,, “Ours is an ancient and great nation with a glorious past. Then, had we no flag of our own? Had we no national emblem at all these thousands of years? Undoubtedly we had. Then why this utter void, this utter vacuum in our minds?” Golwalkar did not, however, elaborate which ancient national emblem or flag he was alluding to. We know, of course, that he wanted to replace the all-embracing tricolour flag with the Bhagwa Dhwaj, the saffron ‘split flag’ of the RSS, that represented only Hindus.
It is, therefore, appropriate to view Narendra Modi’s present comments on the tricolour and “insults to it” in this background. Far from disowning this heritage, he actually cherishes it. It was Sardar Patel, who he worships so publicly and at public expense, who actually compelled Golwalkar and the Hindu Right to retract their opposition to the Indian national flag. He set it as a pre-condition for lifting the 18-month ban on the RSS and for releasing its leaders from jail.
It may, therefore, be wiser to let India and Indians decide for themselves which insult to the national flag really hurts them more.
Jawhar Sircar is a former culture secretary, Government of India. He tweets at @jawharsircar.
Farmers shout slogans during their ongoing protest against Centre’s farm laws, at Ghazipur border in New Delhi on Saturday. PTI photo
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 6
Amid a relatively uneventful ‘chakka jam’ on Saturday, indications are that the BJP-led Centre not only “managed” the situation well but also managed to “isolate” Punjab farmers from their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Uttarakhand who did not participate in on Saturday’s event against the three farm laws.
While the decision regarding UP and Uttarakhand was taken at a meeting between Samyukta Kisan Morcha’s Balbir Singh Rajewal and Bhartiya Kisan Union Rakesh Tikait “in mind the ongoing agriculture activities and situations” sources are pointing to “other reasons” behind the surprise announcement on Friday.
Almost four months have passed since the new sugar season commenced in October and the Uttar Pradesh government is yet to announce State-Advised Price (SAP) for sugarcane, making it difficult for farmers to get cane payment from sugar mills.
Though the state government has not clarified the reason for the delay in announcement of SAP for sugarcane—the main crop of western UP—speculations are it is “waiting for the farmers’ agitation to be over”. While cane farmers are expecting a higher increase in the SAP, sugar mills are resisting any such move. The UP government has not revised the SAP of Rs 315 per quintal for three seasons.
Apart from the underlying anger and uncertainty among sugarcane farmers, sources say “majority of BKU cadres are currently engaged in Delhi”, meaning that BKU leaders were also “skeptical about success of chakka jam” in UP.
“The BKU (Tikait) has not objected to piling up of arrears of Rs 15,000 crore and delay in announcement of SAP. What could a three-hour ‘chakka jam’ achieved,” questioned a farmer leader, underlining the various political pulls at play over the issue
The “shift” in attention and focus from Singhu and Tikri (where Punjab unions have been camping) towards UP and Ghazipur is a cause of much concern among those who initiated the agitation against the three laws.
In the developments following the January 26 Delhi violence, Rakesh Tikait has emerged as a “hero and main attraction” in ‘mahapanchayats’ not just in UP but also Haryana. Tomorrow he will participate in two ‘mahapanchayats’ in Charkhi Dadri, according to BKU.
Meanwhile, sources say “clarity can be expected regarding the Centre’s next move on the three laws next week. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha”.
Heavy security deployed at Ghazipur border (Watch video)
New Delhi, February 6, 2021: In the view of the protest against farm bills and chakka jam that is being observed nation-wide today, heavy security has been deployed at Ghazipur border (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh).
Watch video:
#WATCH: Heavy security deployment at Ghazipur border (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh), in view of protests against the farm laws.
(Video source: Delhi Police) pic.twitter.com/yyQGSj393R
— ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2021
View of damage at Red Fort in New Delhi. Tribune file photo
New Delhi, February 6
The Delhi Police have arrested three more people in connection with the Red Fort incident on Republic Day, taking the total number of those in its custody for the violence that took place across the national capital during the farmers’ tractor parade to 126, officials said on Saturday.
The three have been identified as Harpreet Singh (32), Harjeet Singh (48) and Dharmender Singh (55), all residents of Delhi, they said.
They were nabbed by the special investigating team (SIT) of north district on Wednesday. The crime branch, which is also investigating the cases, formally arrested them on Friday, police said.
Thousands of farmers protesting the Centre’s new agri laws had clashed with the police during the tractor parade on January 26.
Many of the protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and a flagstaff at the ramparts, where the national flag is unfurled on Independence Day.
Police said they have released pictures of over 70 people who were involved in the violence on January 26. Now their identification is underway, they said.
So far, a total of 126 people have been arrested in connection with the Republic Day violence across the national capital, police said.
“We are constantly examining the videos and footage which we have received to get clear picture of the people involved in the violence. The process of identification is underway,” Delhi Police PRO Chinmoy Biswal said.
The objectionable videos on farmers’ issue being uploaded from locations out of India are also being examined. The Cyber Cell of the Delhi Police is investigating the matter, he added.
The Cyber Prevention Awareness and Detection (CyPAD) unit of Delhi Police has served around seven to eight notices.
“We have sent notices to around seven to eight people. However, only two of them have responded. They have asked for some time to join the investigation,” a senior police officer said.
The Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested a man named Dharmendra Singh in connection with the violence at Red Fort during the farmers’ tractor parade on Republic Day.
Earlier, the police had announced cash reward of Rs 1 lakh for information that can lead to the arrest of actor Deep Sidhu, Jugraj Singh, Gurjot Singh and Gurjant Singh who hoisted flags at the Red Fort or were involved in the act.
A cash reward of Rs 50,000 each was also announced for Buta Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Jajbir Singh and Iqbal Singh for allegedly instigating protesters. PTI
Malkit Singh Malikpur
Chandigarh, February 6, 2021: A large number of people took part in the dharna on the occasion of Chakka Jam today. Various speakers presented their views on the occasion. Most of the speakers talked about BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait. He said that it was the tears of ‘Tikait’ that had revived the Delhi Kisan Morcha.
The commuters hassled as the trafffic remained blocked from all kinds of vehicles.
The Delhi-Chandigarh highway was closed at Dappar Toll Plaza today
View in pictures how farmers observed Chakka Jam:
Kargil veteran and India’s first blade runner Major DP Singh (third from left) at the NCC Air Wing’s annual training camp in Chandigarh on Friday. Tribune photo
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 5
A Kargil war veteran and India’s first blade runner, Major DP Singh, today interacted with cadets of the Chandigarh NCC air squadron and motivated them to set high ideals in life and strive for excellence, at the squadron’s annual training camp.
The officer had lost his right leg due to enemy fire in the Akhnoor Sector. He gradually started running using a prosthetic limb and has run in 26 half marathons, including several in high altitude.
As many as 33 cadets, including 13 girls, from city colleges are attending the camp being conducted here.
Inaugurating the camp, Col Amitesh Verma, Deputy Commander, Chandigarh NCC Group, exhorted the cadets to excel in all fields, enjoy the training activities and develop camaraderie and friendship among themselves.
The camp commandant, Group Capt MR Pandeya, said the camp aimed at imparting quality training to the cadets in flying, drill, weapon training and aero-modelling, besides conducting sessions on personality development, national integration, road safety, fire safety and health and hygiene.
uge gathering of women observed at Jida & Lehra BegaToll Plazas (View pictures)
Hyderabad (Telangana), February 6, 2021 (ANI): Hyderabad Police and other security forces on Saturday removed protesters agitating on a highway on the outskirts of Hyderabad as part of the countrywide ‘chakka jam’ called by farmers today.
The police and security forces were seen dispersing a crowd of protestors. The protests caused a huge traffic jam in the area. Farmer unions on Monday announced a countrywide ‘Chakka Jaam’ on February 6 from 12 pm to 3 pm.
Farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. (ANI)
New Delhi, February 6, 2021: Amid ongoing deadlock between farmers and central government over farm bills, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said that the government has time till October 2 to repeal farm laws after which there will be no further discussion in the matter.
He said that the protesting farmers under various unions will collectively do further planning if the government fails to meet their demand within the time-frame.
“We have given time to the government till 2nd October to repeal the laws. After this, we will do further planning. We won’t hold discussions with the government under pressure: Rakesh Tikait, Bharatiya Kisan Union
