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”.

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

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.