Delhi govt denies permission to turn stadium into temporary jail to house farmers

The AAP-ruled Delhi government had denied permission to allow police to use nine stadiums as temporary jails during the 2020-21 farmer protests

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Tuesday denied permission to convert Bawana stadium into a temporary jail, saying that the demands of the protesting farmers, who are marching towards Delhi despite closed and heavily secured state borders, are genuine and it is a constitutional right of every citizen to peacefully protest.

The Delhi government has said that they will continue to support the demands of farmers. (PTI photo)

In an order to the chief secretary Naresh Kumar, the Delhi home minister Kailash Gahlot has stated: “The demands of the farmers are genuine. Secondly, it is the constitutional right of every citizen to make a peaceful protest. It is therefore incorrect to arrest the farmers. The central government should in fact invite them over for talks and try to find a solution of their genuine problems.”

Gahlot has added that the farmers are “annadata” (cultivator) and treating them in this way by arresting them would be like rubbing salt into their wounds. “We cannot be party to this decision of the central government. Hence, approval cannot be given for converting a stadium into a jail,” the order added.

In November 2020, during the previous version of ‘Dilli Chalo’ protest by farmers unions, AAP-ruled Delhi government had denied the permission to allow the Delhi Police to use nine stadiums as temporary jails and detention centres to detain farmers protesting against the three farm laws while arguing that the “Non-violent protest is every Indian’s constitutional right.”

The farmers were later provided space at Burari open grounds to protest where only a small section of tractors had moved. The farmers remained camped at the Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri border points for more than a year until the farm laws were withdrawn by the Union government in November 2021.

The AAP-led Delhi government has said that they will continue to support the demands of farmers in the new call for protest in the national capital. Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said: “It is shameful that if the country’s ‘annadata’ wants to come to the national capital, the government is trying to threaten them with force. I believe that the central government’s arrogance has increased; and this time too, farmers will break their pride.”

Delhi cabinet minister and convener AAP’s Delhi unit, Gopal Rai said the party’s stand is same as the previous round of protest by farmers -- either the government fulfil the demands of farmers or they should be provided space for raising their demands democratically.