Ubaidullah Nasir
The worst fear came true when the mob of unruly farmers stormed Delhi, broke all the barriers put by police and reached the historical Lal Qila and hoisted a religious flag over it. One farmer was killed when the tractor he was riding skidded and few policemen are also injured. This violence has been condemned by all across the board including all farmer’s leaders. Mr. Rakesh Tikait of Bhartiya Kisan Union told journalists that by late night on 25 the Delhi police has not identified the roads through which the tractor parade was allowed to be passed and thus out of confusion the farmers went to prohibited roads and when the police tried to stopped them they opposed it and all the hell broke out. But the fact is that both sides are to be blamed for this. It was the responsibility of the farmers and particularly of their leaders to ensure that the tractor parade is passed peacefully and nothing untoward should happened and the Delhi police for not predicting any eventuality and get prepared to meet it .It adopted the traditional method of policing by putting barriers and trying to stop the protestors forcefully rather than tactfully. This is very difficult to understand that when the police realized that the protestors are hell bent to reach Lal Qila what sky would have fallen if they were allowed to reach Lal Qila in a peaceful manner .Every time Lathi charge or other such methods are not as helpful in controlling the situation as much as tactics and foresightedness.In Lucknow there was a senior most administrative officer Mr. Zaidi whose services Lucknow administration used till his death to control and pacify the mob and protestors of every section so much so even of students and notorious dispute of Lucknow that is between two sects of Muslim community. His USP was his behavior negotiation skill, Pan (bettle) cigarette and Shayri. Retired IPS officer and a social activist Mr. SR Darapuri is known that from the start of his services till retirement he never brought out his service revolver from holster. Another major error of Delhi Police is its intelligence failure how it could not get the information that antisocial elements have mingled with the farmers and may create any law and order problem. Just imagine that had they moved towards Rajpath where republic day parade was going on instead of Lal Qila what would have happened?
According to the information the man who hoisted the religious flag over lal qila is said to be a BJP worker Deep Sandhu whose photos with BJP leaders including party MP and film star Sunny Deol, Dahrmendra, and even with Prime Minister Narendra Modi are viral on social media. This must be investigated and clarified by Delhi police. However, the reputation and impartiality of Delhi police is under clouds because of its dealing with students protest of Jawahar Lal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia the way it dealt with rioters during Delhi riot and even in investigating the riot was so partial and blatant that more than one hundred retired IPS officers including super cop Julio Ribero raised their voice and blamed Delhi police of blatant partiality and communal approach. So it will be better that this incident is probed by a sitting or retired High Court judge.
What happened yesterday has raised the more pertinent question that why the government is hell bent not to accept the farmer’s demand of repealing the controversial farm laws. When the government is ready to put on hold these laws for one to one and half year why it could not repeal them and enact new law after discussion with all the stakeholders including farmer’s leaders opposition parties and chief ministers. The basic fact is that the union government has no right to enact agriculture laws as agriculture are state subject and only state government could enact farm laws as has been done by Congress government of Punjab. The Supreme Court which has put on hold these controversial laws on hold and has formed a committee to deliberate instead of behaving like a panchayat should have declared these laws ultra vires but the hon’able judges according to their best sense of justice adopted another path of deliberation instead of adjudication.
It is high time the government should shed its ego and arrogance reach agitating farmers, show sympathy to them and repeal the laws which will also be the best tribute to above 100 martyred farmers.