Farmers, who were seen as friendly and peaceful for more than 60 days as they waited for the government to accept their terms, suddenly left behind a trail of vandalism, violence, hooliganism as they hoisted their flags at the 17th century iconic Red Fort after running amok through the capital clashing with the police personnel in several parts of the national capital.
However, visuals from Delhi's Chilla border, at first glance, would seem as if from an alternate reality. Here, protesting farmers and police officers reportedly exchanged roses and shared meals with each other as a mark of mutual respect to the respective parties' causes.
According to a report by NDTV, the scenes witnessed today, between the agitating crowd and the police personnel at the Chilla border point, were "heartwarming", to say the least.
Earlier in the day, a section of protesting farmers who were pushed back by the police from the ITO in Central Delhi drove their tractors to Red Fort complex, deviating from the designated route for the proposed tractor parade.
The crowd swelled at the monument as some protesting farmers and 'Nihangs' (traditional Sikh warriors) were seen entering the Red Fort and hoisting a flag from the staff from which prime minister unfurls the tricolour on Independence Day.
A clash broke out between police and protesting farmers after the latter reached ITO and tried to push towards Lutyen's Delhi, prompting the force to resort to lathicharge and use tear gas shells against them.
The farmers who began their march from different border points, much before the time permitted to them for their tractor rally, reached ITO in Central Delhi despite the force denying them permission for it.
The Delhi Police had given permission to farmers protesting the three farm laws to hold their tractor parade on selected routes only after the official Republic Day parade on the Rajpath concludes.
However chaos ensued as the farmers were were adamant of heading towards central Delhi.
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh have been camping at the several borders of the national capital since November 26 last year demanding the repealing of the three farm laws. Eleven rounds of talks of farmers with the farmers in last two months have remained inconclusive.
(With inputs from agencies)
