Left parties slam police action against farmers

The Left parties today condemned the "brutal" police action against thousands of farmers marching towards the national capital, saying it demonstrates the "anti-farmer" attitude of the Modi government.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)-Liberation, in a joint statement, also alleged that the Modi government's policies have "deepened agrarian distress" forcing thousands of farmers to "commit suicides" due to debt burden.

"We condemn the brutal attack on protesting farmers in the outskirts of Delhi. This police action, once again, demonstrates the anti-kisan attitude of the Modi government. Prime Minister Modi had betrayed all promises he made to the kisans (farmers) at the time of the 2014 elections," the statement said.

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury also condemned the police action and alleged that the atrocities on farmers at the Delhi border reflected the Modi government's apathetic attitudes towards farmers.

"We strongly condemn this action on farmers at the Delhi-UP border. This once again demonstrates the anti-farmer attitude of the Modi government. The Modi government has backtracked all its promises made to farmers. This anger and protest is not bothering the Modi government," he said.

Seven policemen, including an assistant commissioner of police, were injured as protesting farmers turned violent while trying to enter the city from Uttar Pradesh in defiance of prohibitory orders, Delhi Police claimed on Tuesday.

Police said a section of protesters, who were participating in the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) march, suddenly turned violent as the cops tried to persuade them not to break the barricades.

Police said they used 20 tear gas shells and water cannons to manage the crowd, adding it was "minimum required force". Some reports suggested use of lathi-charge as well.

Since morning, the farmers gathered at Ghazipur border between Delhi and Ghaziabad in several thousands.

The Delhi Police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members were marching from Haridwar to reach the national capital.