‘National flag, R-Day insulted’: President Kovind on January 26 violence

Clashes broke out between the Delhi Police and farmers protesting against the three farm laws, on Tuesday.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday addressed a joint sitting of Parliament to mark the commencement of the Budget session. Speaking on the occasion, Kovind referred to the violence that took place during farmers’ tractor parade in Delhi on Republic Day, saying that the national flag and Republic Day were “insulted in the last few days.”

“The national flag and a holy day like Republic Day were insulted in the past few days. The Constitution that provides us freedom of speech and expression, is the same Constitution that teaches us that law and rules have to be followed seriously,” news agency ANI quoted the President as saying.

At least 18 Opposition parties boycotted the President’s address to express solidarity with the farmers who have been protesting against the three contentious farm laws since last November, on the outskirts of Delhi.

The protests have been largely peaceful; however, on the day of the parade, protesters broke barriers and entered into the capital city, triggering clashes with the police. A group of protesters then marched towards the Red Fort, where the Republic Day ceremony had concluded just hours earlier, and hoisted a religious flag. The Delhi Police, which had approved three specific routes for the protesters, accused farmers’ unions, who have been leading the agitation, of violating the agreement with the police. While farmers’ leaders have taken “moral responsibility,” and several unions have distanced themselves from the stir, they have accused the Centre of “sabotaging” their agitation by sending its “agents” and conspiring with a farmers’ union that had refused to follow the route approved by the police.

The Delhi Police, nearly 400 of whose personnel sustained injuries in the violence, has booked more than three dozen farmers’ leaders. A Lookout Circular (LoC) has also been issued against several of the leaders. Rakesh Tikait, one of the farmers’ leaders booked, is currently engaged in a standoff with the police at the Ghazipur border in Uttar Pradesh.

Protests against the three laws, which were passed last September, entered day 65 on Friday.