Farmers Movement Archive

Day after farm bills stir, RLD membersbooked for 'violating Covid protocol'

Muzaffarnagar: Several senior members of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) along with more than 60 party activists have been booked in Muzaffarnagar on Friday for violating Covid-19 protocol while protesting against the contentious farm bills. The members held protests on the streets and in front of the district magistrate's office on Thursday - hours before 'Bharat bandh' called by various farmers' associations. On Friday night, at least 11 senior members of the party, including Abhishek Chaudhary, spokesperson in west UP, and district president Ajit Rathi, were booked under the Epidemic Diseases Act along with other sections of the IPC. Civil Lines SHO DK Tyagi said, "They were protesting on the road without wearing any face mask and not following social distancing norms. This has put the health of others at risk. They also did not have any permission for the 'dharna'. So, a case under various IPC sections was registered against 11 named and over 60 unnamed people. Probe is on." Dismissing the cops' charges, RLD spokesperson Abhishek Chaudhary said, "We followed the social distancing norms. Police are doing whatever the state government wants. We are not going to give up. Our fight against farm bills will continue."

The Times of India

2020-09-27

Meerut