Left-wing extremists have hijacked farmers' protests: Intelligence sources

New Delhi: Intelligence sources have revealed that left-wing sources have hijacked farmers’ protest after posters demanding the release of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and Elgar Parishad accused appeared during protests at Tikri border.

The posters calling for the immediate release of social activists were displayed during a demonstration by Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) at the Tikri border.

Pictures of Gautam Navlakha, Sudha Bhardwaj, Varvara Rao, Anand Teltumbde, and Delhi riots-accused Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi were seen during the protests.

'Farmers should not be misled'

The posters called for 'justice' to be delivered demanding release of writers, intellectuals and rationalists on the Human Rights Day.

Speaking on this, Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar said that farmers should not be misled and the issue should not be diverted.

Meanwhile, after photos of protestors at the Tikri Border went viral farmer leaders insisted that their ongoing protest against the Centre’s new farm laws is “apolitical”.

Addressing a press conference at Singhu border, they further said that they had refused many political leaders to use their platform.

When asked about supporters of a farmers union at Tikri border demanding the release of UAPA accused and others, who had been arrested under several charges they said the incident at the Tikri border may be the farmers' way of observing Human Rights Day.

'Ongoing protest against Centre’s new farm laws apolitical'

Former JNU students’ leader Khalid was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for his alleged role in the February northeast Delhi riots in September.

In November, Delhi Police had filed a supplementary charge sheet in a court against Khalid and JNU student Sharjeel Imam in a case related to the alleged larger conspiracy in the communal violence in the national capital.

Earlier, Tomar and Food Minister Piyush Goyal asked the media has to explore and find out if there are any forces driving the ongoing farmers to protest at various borders of the national capital.