The leaders of 32 farmers’ organizations of Punjab are going to discuss this whole development before the meeting of United Kisan Morcha at 2 pm. Prior to this meeting, Harinder Singh Lakhowal, general secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal), a constituent of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, told IANS that 32 farmers’ organizations in Punjab followed the pre-determined routes in the Kisan Republic Day parade. He said that the violence in the clash with the police or the hoisting of the flag on the Red Fort is tragic and he sharply criticizes it. Harinder Singh said that this incident has caused a lot of damage to the farmers’ movement and he urges the farmers involved in the movement not to deviate from their cause and keep the protest peaceful.
Joginder Singh, president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan), said that there was no program of the United Kisan Morcha to visit the Red Fort, so breaking the prescribed route and going to the Red Fort did not comply with the agreement with the police. Joginder Singh is also involved in the United Kisan Morcha. He condemns any kind of violence.
On the question asked about raising the flag on Lalkila and hoisting the flag, he said that it has gone terribly wrong. Joginder Singh also said that in the meeting of the Front, the outline of the movement so far and tomorrow’s event as well as the strategy will be discussed.
When the entire nation was celebrating the 72nd Republic Day on Tuesday, the Peasant Republic Parade, which came out of the borders of the National Capital Region, became uncontrollable and people riding on tractors reached the Red Fort and started making a ruckus there. The miscreants also created a ruckus at ITO where the police had to lathi-charge them.