Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of the 40 farmers’ unions, on Tuesday called off the tractor rally and said that their movement will continue peacefully.

It also appealed to all participants to immediately return to their respective protest sites.

In a statement, the SKM said that the “movement will continue peacefully” and further steps will be discussed and decided soon.

The announcement comes after a day of violence in Delhi in which policemen were injured and buses vandalized. The violence started after the farmer organizations deviated from the path decided by the authorities for the tractor-rally. They pushed towards central Delhi, breaking barricades and facing water cannons.

Some groups of farmers also stormed the Red Fort and hoisted their own flag. In the clashes at the 17th century monument, the policemen were attacked with sticks, leaving some of them injured.

At least 19 people were taken to two Delhi hospitals following violence during the tractor rally. Most of them suffered minor injuries and were in need of first aid, according to doctors from the two hospitals.

The SKM had earlier condemned and regretted the violence that took place in the national capital. It claimed that some “anti-social” elements infiltrated their “peaceful” protest on Republic Day.

“Anti-social elements had infiltrated the otherwise peaceful movement. We have always held that peace is our biggest strength and that any violation would hurt the movement,” the SKM had said in a statement, adding that it dissociates itself from those who have resorted to violence.

Also See: An overview of Farmers’ protests-role of Charan Singh

Reactions from various quarters

Shiromani Akali Dal has also condemned the violence during the farmers’ tractor rally.

Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav said that he felt “ashamed” of the way the farmers’ tractor parade turned out on Tuesday, and took responsibility for it.

“Being a part of the protest,” he said, “I feel ashamed of the way things proceeded and I take responsibility of it.”

The tractor march meant to highlight farmers’ demands dissolved into anarchy on the streets of the national capital as hordes of rampaging protesters broke through barriers, fought with police, overturned vehicles and delivered a national insult by hoisting a religious flag from the rampart of Red Fort, a privilege reserved for India’s tricolour.

Punjab CM, Captain Amarinder Singh stated that the violence would negate the goodwill the farmers had earned through their peaceful protests so far.

On Tuesday, Captain Singh said that the violence perpetrated by certain elements during the farmers’ tractor rally in the national capital was unacceptable and urged all genuine farmers to immediately vacate Delhi and return to the city’s borders where they had been protesting peacefully for the past two months.

The chief minister also ordered a high alert in Punjab amid the tension and violence in Delhi and directed Director General of Police Dinkar Gupta to ensure that law and order in the state is not disturbed at any cost.

Also See: Overview of the Farmers’ unions in the protests

High alert sounded in Haryana

In view of the violent incidents in several areas during the farmers’ tractor-parade in Delhi, Haryana Director General of Police Manoj Yadava said that a ‘high alert’ has been sounded in the state.

Authorities in Haryana sounded a high alert in the state and said that anyone taking law into one’s hands will be dealt with strictly, after a tractor march meant to highlight farmers’ demands dissolved into anarchy on the streets of the national capital on Tuesday.

Mamata calls centre’s attitude insensitive

Mamata Banerjee tweeted, “Deeply disturbed by worrying and painful developments that have unfolded on the streets of Delhi. Centre’s insensitive attitude and indifference towards our farmer brothers and sisters has to be blamed for this situation.”

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that she was “deeply disturbed” by the violence that took place during farmers’ rally in the national capital on Tuesday. Terming the Centre’s attitude “insensitive”, she took to Twitter to blame the government for the situation.