Centre's insensitive attitude, indifference to be blamed: Mamata on Delhi violence

West Bengal Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee said on Tuesday that the Centres insensitiveattitude and indifference towards farmers are to be blamedfor the violent protests in Delhi, maintaining that she wasdeeply disturbed by the situation.Banerjee urged the Centre to engage with the farmersand repeal the new farm laws, which she termed draconian.Deeply disturbed by worrying and painful developmentsthat have unfolded on the streets of Delhi.

West Bengal Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee said on Tuesday that the Centre's ''insensitiveattitude'' and indifference towards farmers are to be blamedfor the violent protests in Delhi, maintaining that she wasdeeply disturbed by the situation.

Banerjee urged the Centre to engage with the farmersand repeal the new farm laws, which she termed draconian.

''Deeply disturbed by worrying and painful developmentsthat have unfolded on the streets of Delhi. Centre'sinsensitive attitude and indifference towards our farmerbrothers and sisters has to be blamed for this situation,'' shetweeted.

A tractor march meant to highlight farmers' demandsdissolved into anarchy on the streets of the national capitalas hordes of rampaging protesters broke through barriers,fought with police, overturned vehicles and delivered anational insult -- hoisting a religious flag from the rampartof Red Fort, a privilege reserved for India's tricolour.

Banerjee said, ''First, these laws were passed withouttaking farmers in confidence. And then despite protests acrossIndia and farmers camping near Delhi for last 2 months,they've (Centre) been extremely casual in dealing with them.'' ''Centre should engage with the farmers and repeal thedraconian laws,'' she added.

Tens of thousands of protesters clashed with police inmultiple places, leading to chaos in well-known landmarks ofDelhi and suburbs, amid waves of violence that ebbed andflowed through the day, leaving the farmers' two-monthpeaceful movement in tatters.

Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury allegedthat the Delhi Police attacked the farmers without anyprovocation.

''This shows the unsympathetic attitude of the BJPgovernment to the problems faced by the small and marginalfarmers,'' he said.

Senior CPI(M) leader Md Salim said, ''Union HomeMinister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi areresponsible for today's turn of events for their unresponsiveattitude to the justified demands of the farmers.'' He said the Left will continue to be on the side ofthe agitating farmers.

State BJP leader Sovan Chatterjee said that nodisrespect should be shown to the national flag.

''However, it has to be found out if there was anyprovocation from any quarter for such an act,'' he added.