Farmers protest

The development has come in the backdrop of two recent incidents of violence within a week -- mayhem during the January 26 farmers' tractor rally, and the clash between protesting famers and local residents at Singhu border on Friday.

Rakesh is the son of Mahendra Singh Tikait, a popular farmer leader from the western Uttar Pradesh, who had held a massive farmers' rally in Delhi's Boat Club over 30 years ago. His emotion-laden and teary-eyed speech on Thursday is being seen as one of the major turnaround moments in the farmers' protest.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Friday, Gandhi said: "You are trying to discredit farmers and the government should talk to them. The only way is to repeal the[farm] laws. We need conversation and solution to this problem."

Group of men, who claimed to be from nearby villages and wanted to get the over two-month old road blockage cleared came to blows with the farmers after heated arguments and then locals damaged tents, leading to stone pelting from both sides.

Hundreds of locals arrived at the famers protest site and things came to blows as they demanded the area to be vacated by the agitators who have been at the site for more than two months. Locals asked them to clear the spot alleging that their presence was creating trouble.

The AAP government has been supporting the protesting farmers since the beginning of their agitation. AAP Chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday again came out in support of the farmers and tweeted, "We are standing with the farmers. Your demands are genuine. Defaming and calling farmers anti-national is completely wrong."

They have been summoned to join the investigation and record their version before the Crime Branch. Of the 33 FIRs registered in connection with the January 26 violence, nine will be investigated by the Crime Branch. Lookout circulars have already been issued against 44 protesters and farmer leaders.

A total of 37 farmer leaders, including Rakesh Tikait, Darshan Pal, Gurnam Singh Chanduni, Rajinder Singh, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Boota Singh Burj Gil, Yogendra Yadav, Medha Patkar, Avik Saha and Joginder Singh Ugraha have been named in the FIRs for breach of NOC (no objection certificate) issued regarding the farmers' tractor rally by the police.

Avik Saha, Jai Kisan Aandolan and Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait along with Darshan Pal Singh, Satnam Singh Pannu, Boota Singh Burjgil and Joginder Singh Ugraha have also been named in the FIR. The case against them was registered under various sections of Indian Penal Code including 147, 148 (related to rioting), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 307 (attempt to murder).

In a press conference on Wednesday, AAP leader and party's Punjab in-charge, Raghav Chadha said, "Yesterday, we all witnessed what happened in Delhi and most importantly at the Red Fort. We have condemned the violence and believe that such a thing should not have happened."