On Red Fort rampage, Rakesh Tikait says farmers deflected 'unknowingly'

Yesterday, groups of farmers, who had been allowed to hold their tractor march after the Republic Day parade on Rajpath ends, deviated from the pre-decided path to wreak havoc in Delhi.

They clashed with police in areas like ITO, Mukarba Chowk, Nangloi, and also in Old Delhi. The protesters drove their tractors into the Red Fort complex and also hoisted religious flags there.

Yesterday's scary visuals showed that security personnel were outnumbered against hundreds of farmers. When protesters charged at khaki-clad cops with lathis, they ran for cover.

Tikait, one of the most prominent faces of the agitation, sort of defended the rampage by saying, "Uneducated people were driving tractors, they didn't know the paths of Delhi. Administration told them the way towards Delhi (sic)."

Tikait also addressed the undated viral video, wherein he can be seen asking the protesters to be armed with lathis and carry flags. The government is not moving from its position, he lamented in the clip.

When asked about it, he replied, "We said bring your own sticks. Please show me a flag without a stick, I will accept my mistake."

Besides Tikait, other farmers' leaders also asserted they had nothing to do with the violence.

Sarvan Singh Pandher, the General Secretary of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (the first group to break barricades), said, "We never had any plan to go to the Red fort and stage any kind of protest over there. The aim of these anti-social elements seems to weaken the ongoing farmers' movement."

However, All India Kisan Sabha General Secretary Hannan Mollah, who is part of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha group that has been negotiating with the Centre, held KMSC responsible.

"We condemn such action. It is not that farmers are out of control. Some rogue criminal elements are causing the problem. There is a conspiracy to give a bad name to farmers," he told The Hindu.

Yesterday, Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav, who has played a key role in the agitation, urged protesters to not damage the monument.

Later, he said he would take responsibility.

"Being a part of the protest, I feel ashamed of the way things proceeded and I take responsibility for it. Violence impacts any kind of protest in a wrong way," he reportedly said.

Meanwhile, fresh visuals from the Red Fort showed that protesters vandalized the ticket counter and the metal detector gate. Broken shards of glass, overturned chairs, and police caps dotted the premises.

Earlier today, Union Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel visited the monument to take stock of the situation.

To note, in the violence, one person died. The Delhi Police has registered 22 cases so far.