Criminal case registered against farmers’ union leaders: Haryana to HC

Haryana chief secretary Sanjeev Kaushal in an affidavit said that the blockade was by Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni), which used tractors trolleys and other vehicles to block the road and erect tents, causing huge traffic pile up on September 23

: The Haryana government has informed the Punjab and Haryana high court that a criminal case has been registered against the farmers’ leaders for the blockade on Ambala-Delhi national highway at Shahbad last week.

Criminal case registered against farmers’ union leaders: Haryana to HC

Haryana chief secretary Sanjeev Kaushal in an affidavit said that the blockade was by Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni), which used tractors trolleys and other vehicles to block the road and erect tents, causing huge traffic pile up on September 23.

“There has been a trend where the protesters have been found blocking the roads, state and national highway as the most convenient way to pressurise the state to succumb to their demands irrespective of nature and merit of such demands,” the chief secretary said, adding that elaborate arrangements were made to prevent any untoward incidents in view of past experiences where the protesters turned violent.

The farmers wanted the purchase of paddy crop with immediate effect, instead of October 1, as announced by the government.

An FIR has been registered on September 23 under various sections of Indian Penal Code and under National Highways Act, 1956 against the union leaders. After the high court directions, the talks were resumed with the leaders on September 24 and farmers removed the blockade at 10 am on September 24.

All efforts would be taken to prevent any reoccurrence of such blockade, the chief secretary said, seeking directions to the union to not to resort to such blockade in future in any part of the state.

The chief secretary’s response had come in response to a midnight hearing on Friday after a plea from an advocate that the impasse cannot be permitted to sustain as it has led a situation where the national highway has been blocked.

Acting on the plea, the bench of justice AG Masih and justice Alok Jain had sought status report from the chief secretary and also put farmers group on notice. It had asked government that even as last resort authorities should use force to remove the protesters. ENDS