Farmers agitation: The man who sparked the Red Fort ruckus

Farmers during their protest at the Ghazipur border in New Delhi, on Wednesday. Pic/PTI

The farmers' agitation on Republic Day took an unexpected turn and the protest that they have been carrying out peacefully for days, turned violent. Breaching police barricades, the protesting farmers clambered on to the walls and domes of Red Fort and hoisted Nishan Sahib, the Sikh religious flag. Claiming that this was never their intention behind the protests, farmer leaders have alleged that Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu used the agitation to set his political ambitions in motion and instigated the protesters to act violently, disrupting the whole process.

Deep Sidhu at Red Fort during the tractor march on Republic Day. Pic/Facebook

According to sources, Sidhu is a known face in Punjab, where he is planning to enter politics. He has also worked in a few Punjabi films and is known to yesteryear actor Dharmendra and his sons. Sidhu had also campaigned for BJP candidate and actor Sunny Deol, who contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Gurudaspur.

However, after the Red Fort episode unfolded on Republic Day, Deol said on Twitter, "I am very sad to learn about what happened at Red Fort today. On December 6, too, I had made it clear that neither me nor my family members have any connection with Deep Sidhu."

A damaged police jeep on the premises of Red Fort, a day after it was stormed by protesting farmers during their tractor march, in New Delhi, on Wednesday. Pic/PTI

Summoned by NIA
On January 17, Sidhu was summoned by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with an FIR registered against Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) - under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 and other Khalistani terrorist outfits, including Babbar Khalsa International, Khalistan Tiger Force and Khalistan Zindabad Force. The FIR mentions that these organisations have been trying to create an atmosphere of fear and lawlessness and instigate people to rise in rebellion against the government.

"Huge funds are being collected abroad for on-ground campaign and propaganda against the Government of India, including staging demonstrations outside Indian embassies in the US, UK, Canada, Germany and so forth," reads the FIR registered by Rajeev Kumar, under-secretary to Government of India, North Block, New Delhi.

Some of the names mentioned in the FIR include Gurpatwant Singh Pannun hailing from Chandigarh and now residing in New York, Paramjit Singh Pamma hailing from Rupnagar in Punjab and now residing in Smethwick, UK and Hardeep Singh Nijjar hailing from Jalandhar and now residing in Surrey BC, Canada.

"It has been learnt that large amounts of funds are being sent through non-government organisations to pro-Khalistani elements based in India to carry out terrorist activities. The SFJ leadership has planned large-scale disruptive activities intended to damage government and private property and disrupt supply of essential services," the FIR adds.

Terrorist activities
"The SFJ and other pro-Khalistani elements involved in this conspiracy, through their incessant social media campaigns and otherwise, are radicalising and recruiting impressionable youth to agitate and undertake terrorist activities," the FIR reads.

The summon issued by NIA Inspector Dhiraj Kumar to Sidhu mentions, "You are acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case, which I am now investigating under Chapter XII of the Code of Criminal Procedure. You are hereby required to appear before me on January 17, 2021 at the NIA office."

After the Red Fort incident, farmer leaders have distanced themselves from Sidhu. An NIA source said, "Sidhu has studied abroad and speaks fluent English. With the help of gangster-turned-politician Lakha Singh Sidhana, Sidhu campaigned for Sunny Deol in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Since Deol lives in Mumbai and he had to fight the elections from Gurudaspur, Sidhu helped him in the campaign."

‘He instigated the mob'
Speaking to mid-day, Paramjeet Singh, who is associated with Jai Kisan Andolan, said, "Deep Sidhu has used our peaceful protest and tractor rally as a launchpad to enter politics because he was the campaign manager of Sunny Deol during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections."

"Not only Sidhu, even government agencies, including the Delhi Police and BJP tried to derail our protest. It seems that Sidhu was planted by the BJP and Delhi Police to instigate the mob to carry out the Red Fort episode. This needs to be thoroughly investigated," Singh told mid day.

Sources in the Delhi police told mid-day that the protestors who were involved in the violence would be identified and cases registered against them under relevant sections of the IPC. Additional forces have been deployed in and around the national capital, as the farmers are planning to carry out a foot-march on Budget Day (February 1).

Speaking to mid-day, Delhi Police Commissioner SN Srivastava said, "The violence took place because the farmers did not follow the terms and conditions. Several police vans, buses and private property were damaged by the agitating farmers on Republic Day. They betrayed us and did not stick to the planned routes for the tractor rally. A total of 394 cops have been injured in the incident. More than 25 criminal cases have been registered at different police stations across the city. The CCTV footage and other videos, which captured the Red Fort incident, are being closely scrutinised to identify the culprits. Those who will be found to be involved in the incident will not be spared."

Farmers' stir: Delhi police register 22 FIRs
A total of 22 FIRs have been filed by the Delhi Police so far in connection with the violence witnessed during a farmers' tractor rally on Republic Day, officials said on Wednesday. The FIRs were registered under sections dealing with riots, damage to public property and assault on public servants with deadly weapons.