Congress to offer legal aid to protesting farmers; sets up depts for redressal in 4 states

Extending legal aid to farmers protesting at various border points of the capital, Congress has decided to send chairmen of legal departments from Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi to visit farmer leaders and to help them regarding relief and redressal.

A delegation of the head of legal departments from the said states will apprise the protestors of the services already undertaken by them and help them in addressing their grievances.

Congress has also passed a resolution stating that a committee of lawyers from the Legal Department will be formed in all districts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi, in the next 48 hours.

"Help the farmer organizations in preparing a list of missing persons by visiting jails and meeting jail authorities, police stations, and other authorities," the resolution said.

"The legal cells will consider filing petitions in the high court to challenge the systematic suspension of Internet services in a large number of districts to scuttle peaceful protest of farmers," the resolution added.

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The party has also decided to maintain close coordination among the lawyers of the four states to identify people detained by the Delhi police during the protests and inform their families about legal options available to them.

On Monday Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh had said that the Punjab government has arranged a team of 70 lawyers in Delhi to assist the farmers who have been booked by Delhi police. He had also assured to take up the matter of missing farmers with the Central government soon.

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Missing farmers issue

Last week, Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa had urged Capt Amarinder Singh to use all available sources to trace over 100 farmers who have been missing since January 26 tractor rally in Delhi. There has been no word to the families regarding their status or present conditions, claimed the Rajya Sabha MP. Citing the stone-pelting incident at Delhi's Singhu border on Friday, Bajwa, in a statement, also urged the CM to deploy the Punjab police personnel for the safety of protesting farmers at protest sites.

The Congress has been supporting the protests against the three farm laws and has encouraged the farmers to continue with their agitation, extending all support to them. 

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