Centre engineered Republic Day violence in farmers' rally, says Naresh Tikait

Bharatiya Kisan Union chairman Naresh Tikait Saturday alleged the BJP government was behind the 26 January violence in Delhi, and it is “insulting” farmers. Addressing a mahapanchayat at Puwaya, Tikait said, “The BJP government itself engineered the violence in Delhi, and insulted the farmers. “The BJP government is the biggest enemy of the farmers. There still is time for all farmers to unite, otherwise they will reach to the brink of destruction.” He also claimed that whatever happened in Delhi during farmers’ tractor march on 26 January, “was a plan of the government, and the accused were also people of the government. “The farmers have been called terrorists, Khalistanis, members of tukde-tukde gang and parasites. But we are anti-government, we are against the policies of the government,” he said. He also said, “We will not allow the farmers to get deceived, and all the talks will be held with Samyukt Kisan Morcha. Hence, one person from every family of a farmer, should be ready to go to the Ghazipur border (protest site).” Tikait alleged the BJP is seeking votes in West Bengal in the name of Lord Ram. “In Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, it worked out, but it will not work in future, because Lord Ram was from our clan,” he said. During their January 26 parade, many of the protesters, driving tractors, had stormed the Red Fort, with some of them hoisting religious flags on its domes and on the flagstaff at the ramparts.