Delhi's Chilla border emptied after nearly two-month protests; farmers seen taking off tents: Watch

In a major twist to the farmers' protests, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) has said that the organisation is ending the protest in the light of violence during farmers' tractor rally on Republic Day (January 26). Meanwhile, farmers have started picking up their tents and goods from the Chilla border.

In a major blow to the farmers' protests, going on in the outskirts of the national capital for nearly two months now, some farmers were on Wednesday seen taking off their tents at Chilla border. The development comes following announcement of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) president Thakur Bhanu Pratap Singh that the organisation is ending the protest in the light of violence during farmers' tractor rally on Republic Day (January 26).

There is anger among the people of the country against the farmers, on the other hand, there has been a split in the farmers' organizations. Many farmer organizations have distanced themselves from this movement. Meanwhile, farmers have started picking up their tents and goods from the Chilla border.

Farmers seen taking off tents: Singh had announced to break away from the farmers' protest and end the movement. Shortly after this, the farmers at the Chilla border were seen taking off their tents. This organization is ending the protest after violence during the farmers' tractor rally. Talking to reporters, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) president Thakur Bhanu Pratap Singh said he was deeply pained by whatever happened during the tractor parade in the national capital, adding that his union was ending its protest. The union was staging the protest at the Chilla border.

#WATCH: Some farmers seen taking off their tents at Chilla border following announcement of Thakur Bhanu Pratap Singh, president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu), that the organisation is ending the protest in the light of violence during farmers' tractor rally y'day.#FarmLaws pic.twitter.com/wgDIeKnUMf — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 27, 2021

This farmers union also distanced itself: All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee and National President of Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan VM Singh (VM Singh) said that they are separating themselves from this movement. Singh said that what happened in the capital Delhi on Republic Day is also the fault of the government. When someone is leaving at 8 am instead of 11 am, what was the government doing? When did the government know that some organizations had talked about giving crores of rupees to the flag hoisting on the Red Fort, where was the government?

भारतीय किसान यूनियन (भानु) ने चिल्ला बॉर्डर से अपना कृषि क़ानूनों के खिलाफ आंदोलन को खत्म कर दिया है। जो ट्रैफिक यहां किसानों के प्रदर्शन के कारण बाधित हो रखा था, अब हम उसे सुचारू रूप से चलाने का प्रयास कर रहे हैं: ADCP, रणविजय सिंह, नोएडा, उत्तर प्रदेश pic.twitter.com/VefwqYtCLc — ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) January 27, 2021

VM Singh targeted farmers leaders: VM Singh said, "We cannot continue opposition to agricultural laws with someone whose direction is different. So, I wish them all the best. We are withdrawing this protest immediately." VM Singh of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee said that it is withdrawing from the ongoing agitation as they cannot carry forward a protest with someone "whose direction is something else".

The dignity of the country's flag dissolved: VM Singh said that the flag and dignity of India belong to everyone. If that dignity has been dissolved, the violators are wrong and those who have allowed it to dissolve are also wrong. A fellow in ITO was also martyred. He said that the person who took the farmers to the Red Fort or who provoked the farmers, action should be taken against him.

Police barricading being removed from Chilla Border.

Thakur Bhanu Pratap Singh, president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) who was protesting at Chilla border against #FarmLaws announced that they're ending the protest in wake of violence during farmers' tractor rally y'day. pic.twitter.com/wz24WPayZI — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 27, 2021

As many as 37 farmer leaders, including Rakesh Tikait, Yogendra Yadav, Darshan Pal and Gurnam Singh Chaduni, have been named in an FIR in connection with the violence during the tractor parade that left 300 police personnel injured even as two farmer unions on Wednesday withdrew from the agitation against the farm laws.

Delhi Police said that 22 FIRs have been filed and around 200 people detained. Multiple videos and CCTV footage are being scanned to identify those involved in the violence and strict action will be taken against the culprits. The FIR registered at Samaypur Badli names 37 farmer leaders including Tikait, Yadav, Darshan Pal and Chaduni and their role will be probed, the police said.

The FIR has been registered under various sections of IPC including 147, 148 (related to rioting), 307 (attempt to murder) and 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy). Even as the farmer unions continued to allege that "anti-social" elements had perpetrated the violence to "torpedo" their peaceful agitation against the farm laws, Tuesday's incidents that have been widely condemned started taking a toll with Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) and All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee withdrawing from the protests on the Delhi's borders.

The protesting farmer leaders are now considering the postponement of their foot march to Parliament on February 1 against the three farm laws in the wake of the violence during the Republic Day. A senior farmer leader said that Samkyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is an umbrella body of 41 protesting unions, will take a final call on the postponement of the February 1 foot march.

Union Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel visited the Red Fort on Wednesday to take stock of the damage caused by a section of farmers who stormed the monument and hoisted the Nishan Sahib, the Sikh religious flag, thereafter deviating from the rally route. The minister has sought a report on the incident.

Vandalised metal detector gate and ticket counter, and shards of glass were seen on the premises of the Red Fort during the visit by the minister who was accompanied by the secretary of culture ministry and the ASI Director-General. Security has been beefed up in several places across the national capital, especially at the Red Fort and farmer protest sites, with the deployment of additional paramilitary forces.

Delhi Metro authorities shut the Lal Quila station and restricted entry to the Jama Masjid station. The tractor parade on Republic Day that was to highlight the demands of the farmer unions to repeal three new agri laws dissolved into anarchy on the streets of the city as tens of thousands of protesters broke through barriers, fought with police, and overturned vehicles.

Farmers' body Samyukta Kisan Morcha alleged "antisocial" elements like actor Deep Sidhu attempted to "torpedo" their peaceful agitation under a conspiracy but asserted they won't allow "the government and other forces inimical to the peace movement to break this struggle".

In a statement, the Morcha said, "The Union government has been severely shaken by this peasant agitation. Therefore, a dirty conspiracy was hatched with the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee and others." It alleged that these outfits had set up their own separate protest site after 15 days of the beginning of this farmers' agitation. " They were not part of the organisations which jointly undertook the struggle," the statement claimed.

Meanwhile, two pleas were filed in the Supreme Court over the tractor rally violence with one seeking setting up of a commission, headed by a retired apex court judge, to inquire into the incident while the other urged it to direct the media not to declare farmers as "terrorist" without any evidence.