Mumbai: 99.9 per cent protesters were peaceful, we dissociate ourselves from rest, says farmer leader

Protesters line up for free tea provided by the Aam Aadmi Party

Insisting that the farmers' revolt on Republic Day, and the breaching of Red Fort security was done by design and forces inimical to peaceful protest, pro-farmer agitation leaders and activists from Mumbai used the 'BJP is enemy No 1' and conspiracy line, when asked about the events on January 26. Ashok Dhawale, president All India Kisaan Sabha, (AIKS) who was at the Singhu border on Tuesday, claimed, "I am certain that 99.9 per cent of the farmers were absolutely peaceful. With at least 10 lakh farmers and 2 lakh tractors this was the biggest mobilisation since Independence. We dissociate ourselves from the 0.1 per cent who have broken all laws and norms."

Farmers protesting in Mumbai

Discredit this
Dhawale, who is a Thane resident, claimed events spiralled out of control and the Lal Killa was breached, but all this was, "with the total connivance of the BJP government, the police and anti-farmer agent provocateurs". He added that this was the government's bid to discredit and defame the farmer movement, insisting that several media reports have talked about deliberate design and raised questions. Dhawale insisted that the public has not lost even a smidgen of sympathy for farmers.

Ask questions
Ravi Bhilane, staunch critic of the Narendra Modi government, though, said in response to a question that the layperson, "is confused, though I would not say that this has taken away sympathy for the farmers. This is because the thinking junta does ask questions like how an agitation which was peaceful for so many months suddenly turned so violent? We have to get to the bottom of who really was behind the violence." When asked about selective human rights, agitators who scream about protesters being shot but stay silent when the police are injured, Bhilane, a Goregaon native, said, "anger is directed at the police as they are seen as representing the current dispensation. They, however, are doing their job and there must be a thorough inquiry as, yes, our human rights concerns need to extend to them, too," said Bhilane. The activist said that, "our next agitation will be against Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) as banning EVMs will mean the end of this government in power."

Resign, please
Varsha Vidya Vilas of Sadhbhavana Sangh, who was present at the Azad Maidan agitations, to show support, was obdurate in claiming that the violence from the Red Fort ramparts, was done to derail a peaceful protest. "How is it possible that the security could be breached on such a sensitive day, when the forces have to be on high alert? Home Minister Amit Shah must resign as this proves he cannot ensure security of the nation or its people." Vilas insisted the shocking incidents are no setback for the agitations, "which are going to continue in a peaceful manner."

AAP view
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) though supporting the farmers agitation throughout, with leaders saying that AAP welcomed the Samyukta Shetkari Kamgar Morcha in Mumbai a couple of days ago, condemned the Delhi violence. It did add that, "it is regrettable that the Central government allowed the situation to deteriorate to this extent." The AAP had even set up a ‘sevadar Kejriwal' tea stall at Azad Maidan recently, as farmers had gathered. Ruben Mascarenhas, Mumbai-based National Jt Secretary of AAP, referring to the Lal Killa mayhem though did say, "the violence has certainly weakened the movement which was going on so peacefully and in a disciplined manner," adhering to the party line.