2021 Indian farmers' Republic Day protest

2021 Farmers' Republic Day Protest
2021 Farmers' Republic Day Protest In India
Part of 2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest
Protesting farmer hoisting the Nishan Sahib flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort
Date26 January 2021
Location
New Delhi, India
GoalsAbolition of three farm acts
Parties
Casualties
Death(s)1 protestor dead
Injuries100+
89 policemen injured[1]
Arrested200 arrested[2]

The 2021 Farmers' Republic Day protest was a protest on 26 January 2021 at Delhi.[3][4] Part of the 2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest. The protestors deviated from the parade to take the parade towards Red Fort.[5] The protest took place on the 72nd Republic Day against the decision by Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to implement three farm acts.[6]

The decision to hold the parade with tractors and marching contingents in Delhi was announced on 2 January 2021 by the leadership of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM).[7][8] The date of 26 January 2021 was chosen, according to the SKM leaders, because it coincided with the two-month anniversary of the farmers' protest and because "the Republic Day represents the supremacy of the people".[9][10]

On 26 January, tens of thousands of the farmers protesting agricultural reforms drove a convoy of tractors, earlier than the allotted time, to start the tractor rally into New Delhi. The farmers drove on prohibited routes in long lines of tractors, riding horses or marching on foot. However, a section of the tractor rally turned violent as the protesting farmers clashed with the police. Some of the protesters deviated from their pre-sanctioned routes permitted by Delhi Police and breached the barricades.[3][11] Some protesters reached central Delhi and resorted to vandalism and damage to public property.[12] Other protestors reached the Red Fort and hoisted the Nishan Sahib (a Sikh religious flag) and farmer union flags on the mast on the rampart of the Red Fort.[13][14][15][16][17]

As of 28 January, the Delhi Police stated that it has filed various criminal cases over the incidents of violence and had arrested several people.[18] More than 300 police personnel were injured in the violence by protesters, who used batons and sharp weapons.[19] The violence and hoisting of a religious flag on the ramparts of the Red Fort led to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) and the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan withdrawing from the farmers' protest.[20][21]

  1. ^ Chand, Sakshi (28 January 2021). "Outnumbered, but not outdone: Injured cops recall Republic Day horror". The Times of India. Delhi. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Farmers' protests - Delhi Police detain 200 in connection with Republic Day violence". The Hindu. 27 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Protesting Farmers to Hold Tractor Parade on Jan 26 in Delhi If Demands Not Met". Hindustan Times. 2 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Will Celebrate Lohri by 'Burning' Copies of Farm Laws, Say Farmers; next Round of Talks Tomorrow". The Indian Express. 3 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  5. ^ Mohan, Vishwa (2 January 2021). "Farmers' Unions Plan to Hold Their Own Parades in Delhi on Republic Day, Say It's Time for Decisive Action". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Farmers Plan Tractor Rally from Five Points Surrounding Delhi from 11 am. Today". The Hindu. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  7. ^ Sengar, Mukesh Singh (2 January 2021). "75-Year-Old Protesting Farmer Found Dead at Delhi-Ghaziabad Border". NDTV. Archived from the original on 2 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  8. ^ Sinha, Jignasa (17 December 2020). "Delhi Chalo' March: Farmers Say Will Prepare List of Deaths during Protest". The Indian Express. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Tribune Advisory was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Will Hold Tractor Parade towards Delhi on 26 January If Demands Not Met, Say Farmer Unions". ThePrint. 2 January 2021. Archived from the original on 2 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Tractor rally: Why protesting farmers deviated from original routes". MSN. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  12. ^ Bhardwaj, Ananya (27 January 2021). "3 reasons why Delhi Police failed to stop farmers from storming the heart of the capital". Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  13. ^ "Chaos in the republic: The rampage of protesting farmers – A full-proof plan gone wrong". The Economic Times. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  14. ^ "Anti-farm laws protestors wave flags from ramparts of Red Fort in Delhi". The Daily Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  15. ^ "Republic Day Violence: Delhi Police Register 4 FIRs for Rioting, Damage to Public Property". News18. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  16. ^ Hannah Ellis-Petersen, Aakash Hassan (26 January 2021). "Violent clashes as Indian farmers storm Delhi's Red Fort". The Guardian.
  17. ^ "India protest: Farmers breach Delhi's Red Fort in huge tractor rally". BBC News. India. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  18. ^ "Deep Sidhu, Lakha Sidhana booked for Red Fort violence". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  19. ^ "'Proud of their courage': Amit Shah visits cops injured in R-day violence". Hindustan Times. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  20. ^ Sen, Meghna, ed. (27 January 2021). "Farmers' protest: BKU (Bhanu), Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan withdraw from agitation". LiveMint. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021.
  21. ^ "BKU (Bhanu), Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan withdraw from farmers' protest over Jan 26 violence". India Today. Delhi. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.