Red Fort violence planned by Centre, farmers were misguided: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday claimed the violence that erupted at Red Fort on Republic Day was orchestrated by the Centre.

Extending his support to the farmers protesting the Centre’s three farm laws, the Aam Aadmi Party chief told a ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ in Meerut, “The Centre is behind the Red Fort violence, not the farmers. It misguided the farmers who did not know Delhi roads.”

The violence on Republic Day took place during a tractor parade organised by the farmers’ unions in Delhi. There were allegations that the route agreed upon by the protesters and the police was not followed. A group had reached Red Fort resulting a major showdown.

Kejriwal said he’s the chief minister of Delhi and he’s aware of what happened on that day.

He said the Indian farmers are not happy and for over 90 days they and their families have been protesting outside the national capital. Kejriwal said that the Centre has done nothing even though more than 250 farmers have died during their protest.

The AAP chief, amid ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ slogans, said the atrocities that the farmers faced were not even witnessed during the British rule. Now, false cases and sedition charges are being slapped on the farmers, he said.

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“Our farmers can be anything but not traitors…One son of the country is defending the country’s borders, the other is at the border of Delhi,” he added.

Kejriwal’s AAP had months ago announced its decision to contest the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh due next year. He has been vocal about his support to the farmers’ cause. He has said that the new laws are like “death warrant” of the farmers.