The Punjab government has announced financial assistance for 83 individuals who were detained in Delhi after violence erupted during a farmers' tractor march on Republic Day this year. The move is expected to generate a scandal and set up a new struggle between Punjab's Congress administration and the centre.
Farmers from Punjab and Haryana, in particular, have been camping in and around Delhi for a year in protest of three new agricultural laws that they claim would shift power to private hands. The centre has disputed the claim and has even promised to change the laws. The farmers, on the other hand, demand that the laws be repealed.
After negotiations between the Delhi Police and farmer representatives on January 26, this year, a tractor rally by farmers was authorised on specific routes. However, the situation quickly devolved into anarchy as groups stormed the Red Fort and over ran the police. According to the police, the demonstrators did not use the planned path and instead smashed over barricades to enter Delhi. They also penetrated the Red Fort and raised flags on its ramparts.
In a tweet today, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi announced that his govt. will compensate those arrested by Delhi Police.
"Reiterating my government's support for the ongoing farmers' protest against three black farm laws," the Chief Minister tweeted, "we have decided to pay Rs.2 lakh compensation to 83 individuals arrested by Delhi Police for carrying out a tractor rally in the national capital on January 26, 2021."
On that day, the national capital witnessed unparalleled chaos and violence as farmers battled with police and security forces. A dozen police and paramilitary personnel were seen scrambling and jumping over a 15-foot wall at the Red Fort compound to escape a mob of lathi-wielding assailants in video footage.
The Punjab government has backed farmers. The state believes the three laws are ineffective for their farmers and has moved forward with resolutions in the state assembly that may be enacted into state law, negating the impacts of the central legislation.
Punjab claims that agricultural produce marketing committees or mandis, would become privatised, causing financial losses to the state government and harming rural development. The centre, on the other hand, has stated that the new regulations are beneficial to farmers since they eliminate the need for middlemen.
