Farmers call off Feb 1 Parliament march

New Delhi: A day after tractor rally called by farmers spiralled out of control and led to violence and chaos in the national capital, farmer leaders on Wednesday decided to postpone their proposed February 1 march to Parliament.

The farmers had decided to march to Parliament to mark their protest the three contentious farm laws passed by the government in September last year.

The farmers have now said they will hold jan sabhas (public meetings) and a one-day fast on January 30 to mark their condemnation against Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. The protests will be against the forces that killed Gandhi, the farm leaders said.

Stating that most of the farmers were peaceful and a government conspiracy was designed to sabotage the rally, the farm leaders said that despite attempts to break it, 99.9% farmers were peaceful. "The rally fell prey to government conspiracy.

Some incidents took place. The government put the Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee members in front of blockade put for us but there was no blockade for them," Balbir S Rajewal, Bhartiya Kisan Union (R) said minutes after the Delhi Police held the presser.