Published 23:25 IST, February 13th 2021
'16 farmers missing since Jan 26' claims SKM; extends legal aid to 122 jailed farmers
As farmers continue to intensify protests against Farm Laws, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Saturday, stated that 16 farmers are allegedly missing since Jan 26
As farmers continue to intensify protests against Centre's Farm Laws, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Saturday, stated that 16 farmers are allegedly missing since January 26 when the tractor rally was held. SKM has also stated that 122 farmers have been arrested in connection to 14 FIRs filed by Delhi police. Assuring legal aid to all farmers who have been arrested, SKM has asked the Delhi govt to shift farmers lodged in different jails be consolidated into single jail, allow the legal panel to meet farmers without any restrictions, and allow easy disbursal of monetary help given by SKM to farmers.
Legal aid to farmers
Apart from SKM, Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh too announced that the Punjab government has arranged a team of 70 lawyers in Delhi to assist those farmers who have been booked by Delhi. Moreover, AAP has also issued legal notices to BJP leaders alleging 'defamation to farmers' and offered water, free wifi, food and medical aid to farmers camped outside Delhi. The Punjab CM has also assured that he will take up the matter of missing farmers with MHA soon, after Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa stated that 'there has been no word to the families regarding their status or present conditions'.
Farmers protests intensify
After completing a peaceful 'Chakka Jam' across India except in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, farmers have intensified the protests with BKU leader Rakesh Tikait announcing a tour across Western India from February 14 to 23 - covering Haryana Maharashtra and Rajasthan, holding Kisan Mahapanchayats in these places to encourage more farmers to join the protests. Moreover, after the violence witnessed on Republic Day, Delhi police fortified the city borders by cementing nails near barricades, deploying additional troops, adding barbed wires etc at Ghazipur (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh) and Tikri (Delhi-Haryana) borders, blocking access to the roads completely. MHA had snapped off internet across all three border areas - Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur and later extended the ban to 1-2 days more. Farmers have reiterated 'No Ghar Wapsi till Law Wapsi', as the protests have caught several international celebrities' interest online.
After Tikait's breakdown at Ghazipur due to Yogi govt's diktat to 'vacate Ghazipur protest site', politicians thronged Ghazipur border, where Tikait and other UP farmers are camped at. While Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh addressed the Kisan Mahapanchayat at Muzaffarnagar, politicians like Abhay Singh Chautala, Chaudhary Ajit Singh, Sanjay Singh, Arvind Kejriwal spoke to Tikat after he broke down. Many other leaders like Indian National Lok Dal’s Abhay Singh Chautala, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party’s Hanuman Beniwal, Congress' Ajay Lallu and Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut have visited Tikait at Delhi borders. After 11 rounds of Centre-farmer talks, the two parties failed to reach a middle ground after a five-hour meeting with the associations refusing to agree to the Centre's proposal for suspending the implementation of the aforesaid legislation for one and a half years.
Updated 23:25 IST, February 13th 2021