Youth Congress activists set on fire a tractor near India Gate in the high-security Lutyens’ Delhi, a few hundred metres from the President House and the Parliament, on Monday morning to voice their protest against the contentious farm laws.
Five of them, from the Punjab unit of the outfit, were arrested, police said.
Around 20 people carried a tractor on a truck to Rajpath, Man Singh Crossing, unloaded it from the truck and set it on fire, they said. According to police sources, the Punjab Youth Congress activists entered the Lutyens’ Delhi along with a Punjab police gipsy.
Fire officials said they were informed about the incident at 7.42 am and two fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The blaze was doused and tractor was removed soon, police added.
Youth Congress media incharge Rahul Rao said activists of its Punjab unit demonstrated at India Gate on the birth anniversary of revolutionary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.
“Our country thrives on the blood and sweat of our farmers. From fighting the British to feeding the entire nation, our farmers are the nation’s backbone,” the Youth Congress tweeted.
“On #BhagatSingh’s birth anniversary Youth Congress set ablaze a tractor in protest against the govt’s anti farmer bills,” it added.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Eish Singhal said an Innova car used in the act has been taken into police custody.
“A case under 3 Epidemic Act, 51(B) Disaster Management Act, 4 Damage to Public Property Act and other IPC sections has been registered at Tilak Marg police station and five persons have been arrested,” the DCP said.
The arrested persons have been identified as Manjot Singh (36), Ramandeep Singh Sindhu (28), Rahul (23), Sahib (28) and Sumit (28), all residents of Punjab, police said.
Reacting to the incident, Delhi BJP media relations head Neelkant Bakshi tweeted that he would file a case against the “dangerous conspiracy to foment violence by spreading rumours”.
Bakshi also submitted a complaint to the New Delhi DCP, seeking action against those involved in the incident. A senior police officer said they have received the complaint.
The incident comes amid protests by farmers and the some opposition parties across the country over the three farm bills, which were passed by Parliament during the Monsoon Session and got the presidential assent on Sunday.
Farmers have expressed the fear that the laws would pave the way for dismantling the Minimum Support Price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big companies.
