They pelted stones: Delhi Police defend actions against protesting farmers

New Delhi: Despite adequate security arrangements by Delhi Police, the protesting farmers in the national capital turned violent on Tuesday. According to police, the farmers tried to break barricades forcefully through tractor-trolleys and were also carrying lathis.

"Despite persuasive methods requesting them to wait till the outcome of talks of their leaders with govt, a section of the crowd turned violent and tried to break barricades forcefully through tractor-trolleys and were also carrying lathis," Delhi Police said in a statement.

The statement added that some protestors even resorted to stone pelting and wielded lathis, causing injuries to police personnel deployed on duty. Also, a minimum required force was used to tackle the aggressive and violent protestors.

"Some protestors resorted to stone pelting and wielded lathis causing injuries to police personnel deployed on duty. Under these circumstances, the only minimum required force was used to contain these aggressive and violent protestors," the Delhi Police statement read.

Following the protest, the Centre accepted most of the demands of the farmers after consulting with top leaders of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) - the umbrella organisation under which thousands of farmers have been staging a protest to press for their demands.

However, the farmers at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border said that their stir would continue because the government has only agreed to seven of their eleven demands. Expressing dissatisfaction, they added that the government did not clear its stand on some of the major issues of the farmers like C2+50 and loan waiver.

At least 70,000 farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana staged the Kisan Kranti Padyatra, which concluded at the Rajghat. 

The farmers were protesting against the unfriendly policies of the Narendra Modi Government and wanted to remind it of its promises made to the farmers.

Farmers participating in the movement were demanding complete loan waiver and reduction in electricity tariff, among other requirements. They are also seeking a provision of a pension to every farmer aged above 60.