Despite violence at tractor rally, farmers refuse to call off protest march to Parliament on Budget Day

New Delhi, Jan 27: Undeterred by the tractor rally that turned violent at Red Fort on Republic Day, the farmer unions have said that they had no plans of delaying or abandoning their march to the Parliament on Budget day.

The tractor parade on Tuesday 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, overturned vehicles and hoisted a religious flag from the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort.

The Delhi Police has registered 22 FIRs so far in connection with the violence that broke out during the farmers' tractor parade in the national capital leaving over 100 policemen injured.

Additional PRO (Delhi Police), Anil Mittal, said 22 FIRs have been so far registered in connection with Tuesday's violence. More than 100 policemen have been injured in the incident, he said.

The Sayunkt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which comprises various farmer organisations, had proposed a "Kisan Tractor Rally" on Republic Day. The SKM had held several rounds of meetings with the Delhi Police in connection with their tractor parade.

They had given an undertaking to the police to take out a peaceful rally as per the proposed plans on four agreed upon routes.

However, on Tuesday around 8.30 am, 6,000 to 7,000 tractors assembled at the Singhu border, police said. Instead of going on the pre-decided route, they insisted upon going towards central Delhi and despite repeated requests, the farmers, led by Nihangs on their horses and equipped with swords, kirpans and fursas, had charged at the police and broke through several layers of barricades, which were erected between Mukarba Chowk and Transport Nagar, the police had said.

Similar incidents were reported from Gazipur and Tikri borders.

Meanwhile, some farmers also indulged in vandalism and attacked policemen. Later, they changed their plans and moved towards Red Fort, it said. At Red Fort, they broke the gates and entered its wells. A section of the crowd also managed to climb atop the rampart of the Red Fort where they hoisted their organisation's flag, the statement had said. Police had managed to remove the crowd from the rampart.