Days after Ambala Police said that they have initiated action to revoke passport and visa cancellation of those involved in disturbing the law and order during the farmer agitation, West Bengal MP Saket Gokhale on Friday questioned the move, terming it “ridiculous” and “illegal”.
Taking to X, the Rajya Sabha MP claimed that the police have no powers to bypass the ministry of external affairs and write to foreign embassies to “cancel visas”.
“It is ridiculous because there’s no provision in the law which allows the police to “cancel/impound passports” arbitrarily without due process. Moreover, the police have no powers to bypass the ministry of external affairs and write to foreign embassies to “cancel visas” especially since grant of visas is not an issue within the power of the Indian authorities,” he said.
The lawmaker also wrote to Ambala superintendent of police Jashandeep Singh Randhawa seeking further information on the action.
Through his letter that was also posted on X, he asked about the provisions of the Passports Act to initiate the process.
“…grounds based on which Ambala Police is directly coordinating with embassies of foreign countries to cancel the visas of protesting farmers without going through the ministry of external affairs and (c)…the total number of protesting farmers who have been identified for cancellation of their passports and visas as well as whether any specific FIR has been registered against any of them. If yes, please state the IPC and other sections/laws under which FIRs have been filed,” he asked in the letter.
{{/usCountry}}“…grounds based on which Ambala Police is directly coordinating with embassies of foreign countries to cancel the visas of protesting farmers without going through the ministry of external affairs and (c)…the total number of protesting farmers who have been identified for cancellation of their passports and visas as well as whether any specific FIR has been registered against any of them. If yes, please state the IPC and other sections/laws under which FIRs have been filed,” he asked in the letter.
{{/usCountry}}“The Haryana Police lately seems to be thinking that they’re above the law and due process when it comes to farmers. It’s time they were made accountable,” he further wrote in his X post.
The development comes days after several men, part of the farmers protests allegedly tried to break through multi-layer barricades at the Haryana-Punjab border on Shambhu and attacked forces.
Speaking to HT on Thursday, the SP had said that they have a huge number of videos gathered by CCTV, drone cameras and other sources, from which photos have been taken of over 100 protesters engaged in violence and damaging public properties along the border.
Even as the forces used tear gas shells, almost half dropped via drone, and water cannons to disperse the protesters, the farmers were seen forcibly trying to break the barricades.
The police claim that the protesters attacked the forces using petrol bombs, blown chilly smoke and tried to hit them using tractors.
Meanwhile in Kaithal, deputy CM Dushyant Chautala said that he is not aware if any such directions have been issued, but in case of visa cancellations, embassies concerned have to take a call.
“As far as passports are concerned, the MEA that is the issuing authority has to take cognisance (of any appeal by police),” he told the reporters.
He further said that if someone disrupts law and order, the government takes action. “Also, when it was to be a peaceful protest and violence happened, police have to take action,” he added.