Picture : Twitter / ANI
For over 65 days the farmers protesting against the three farm laws passed by the Centre were carrying out a peaceful protest and stationed at Singhu and Tikri Borders . Their angst against the three laws was justified and their concerns on MSP and other issues is genuine. But the tractor rally by them has played the spoilsport in their agitation. But by resorting to violence and vandalism on the streets of Delhi to make government hear their voices was certainly not acceptable. It was hooliganism to be more precise .
What has shook the nation is that the farmers did not live up to their promise of peaceful tractor march on 26th January , the day the nation celebrated the 72nd Republic Day. When the nation in the morning awoke to the sight of the impressive parade and Rajpath with all the COVID-19 precautions in place and witnessed the country’s rich culture , heritage and military prowess little did anyone realise the lawlessness and the chaos that was to unfold hours later.
Agitating farmers breached the trust reposed on them by the Delhi which allowed the tractor rally to take place on the decided routes. But to the shock the farmers defied the rules and marched on to Delhi with brazen bravado and got into scuffles with the police . And in the process damaged many DTC buses. There was chaos on the streets, tractor known to mow the fields were used a weapon to chase and scare and threat people of run- over.
The madness did not stop there . A group of protestors took control of the historic Red Fort in Old Delhi and even dared to unfurl their flag on the very spot where the Prime Minister addresses the nation on India’s Independence Day 15th August. The visuals of the other flag instead of the Tricolor had rattled India and left people numbed and struggling for words . Few days back , the world saw the rioting and violence in the Capitol Hill in Washington DC , by supporters of former President Donald Trump , little did anybody fathom such scenes in India. The rampage on the Republic Day had shamed the spirit of the momentous day .
Expectedly the violence had left the farmers red- faced and has jolted their movement and even losing all the goodwill and sympathy they had gained so far. If the farmers are unable to keep their promise of peaceful protest and keep changing their positions then solution to the pressing issue will never be found. It is time the farmers shed their arrogance . The violence has done more harm than good for their cause .
Moreover, In a democracy, solution is found by dialogue . The Government has taken enough steps backwards even proposing to hold the farm laws for 18 months, yet the farmers are unrelenting and demanding total repeal . Even they have snubbed the SC appointed Committee set up on the same. If farmers have no faith in the government and also not the Supreme Court, one shudders to think whom will they abide to solve this imbroglio?
