Farm law protests: Its towers vandalised in Punjab, Reliance says will move high court today
The Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) also accused “vested interests” of instigating the vandals.
Business tycoon Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), whose Jio Infocomm towers have been allegedly targeted by a section of farmers in Punjab protesting against the Centre’s three new farm laws, on Monday said it will file a petition in Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking “immediate intervention” in this regard. RIL further accused “vested interests” of instigating and aiding the vandals.
“Reliance Industries Limited, through its subsidiary Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, in a petition mentioned to be filed in Punjab and Haryana High Court today, has sought urgent intervention of govt authorities to bring a complete stop to illegal acts of vandalism by miscreants,” news agency ANI quoted RIL as saying. “These acts of violence have endangered the lives of thousands of employees and caused damage and disruption to the vital communications infrastructure. The miscreants indulging in vandalism have been instigated and aided by vested interests and our business rivals,” RIL added.
The Ambani-owned conglomerate also stressed it has no plans of entering a contract or corporate farming, adding that it has not purchased any land in India for the purpose. “We shall insist on our suppliers to strictly abide by the Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanism. We have immense gratitude and the greatest respect for India’s kisans, who are the ‘ANNA DATA’ of 1.3 billion Indians,” RIL said.
Farmers protesting against the three laws have, in particular, directed their ire at Reliance, as well as businessman Gautam Adani, believing that they shall be the beneficiaries of the laws. While anti-farm law protests have largely been peaceful, more than 1,500 towers have been vandalised in Punjab. Jio has more than 9,000 towers in the state.
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After his appeal to the farmers to not vandalise the towers went unheard, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh had last week directed the police to take action against the vandals.
