5 Youth Cong members held for burning tractor to protest farm laws in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Delhi Congress leaders and workers, including its president Anil Kumar, were detained by police on Monday during a protest against farm bills at Rajghat.

Kumar said a protest march from Rajghat to Raj Niwas was also scheduled but police detained party leaders and workers before it could begin.

"We wanted to submit a memorandum to the Lt governor against the farm bills passed by Parliament but we were detained by the police. The Congress will not rest till the Modi government withdraws its anti-farmer bills," he said.

“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. On [freedom fighter] #BhagatSingh’s birth anniversary Youth Congress set ablaze a tractor in protest against the govt’s anti-farmer bills,” the Youth Congress said in a tweet.

The Congress has likened the laws to cancer and slow poison that will kill farmers and agriculture. It has urged all parties to come together and oppose the laws, which the party said will make farmers “slaves of big businessmen”.

The Delhi police said five people have been detained for setting the tractor afire and that the fire was doused and no one was injured in the incident.

“Today [Monday] at around 7:15 am, some [15-20] persons carrying a tractor in Tata 407 vehicle came at Rajpath, Man Singh Crossing. They offloaded the tractor and tried to set it ablaze. They claimed to be members of Youth Congress, Punjab. Appropriate legal action has been taken,” a Delhi police spokesman said. “Five persons have been detained till now and one vehicle impounded. Affiliation of these persons is being verified.”

The detained 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.

They claimed to be members of Youth Congress Punjab.

Their affiliation is being verified, according to the police.

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".

The incident comes amid protests by farmers and the Opposition across the country over the three contentious farm legislations, which were passed by the Parliament last week and got presidential assent on Sunday.

Farmers have expressed apprehension that the laws would pave a way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big companies.