Farmers Movement Archive

UP: Sambhal administration scraps Rs50 lakh notices for farm protests

The Sambhal district administration in western Uttar Pradesh has decided to scrap the notices issued to the national president and five other office bearers of Bhartiya Kisan Union(Asli), or BKU (Asli), wherein they were asked to submit personal bonds of Rs50 lakh each on the charge of inciting farmers against the three new farm laws. The sum was later revised to Rs50,000 each, but now the notices would be withdrawn altogether, an official said.Notices to over a dozen farmers seeking personal bond of Rs5 lakh each are also being scrapped. Sambhal sub-divisonal magistrate (SDM) Deependra Yadav issued the notices on December 12 and 13 for personal bond of Rs50 lakh each to BKU (Asli) president Harpal Singh, youth wing state in charge Rishabh Chaudhary, divisional general secretary Sanjeev Gandhi, Sambhal district president Rajpal Singh Yadav and two others on charges of inciting farmers to participate in the movement. Likewise, over a dozen other farmers were issued notices of Rs5 lakh each on similar charges. SDM Yadav said he issued notices to 20 to 25 farmers on the basis of reports submitted by different police stations amid the farmers’ agitation.“We first revised the amount, but eventually decided to scrap all the notices after farmers’ written assurance that they would carry out their protest peacefully,” SDM said.Also read | Will bow my head in front of farmers, will discuss every issue, says PM ModiHowever, BKU(Asli) president Harpal Singh said, “We were protesting peacefully since the beginning and no farmer has given anything in writing. They are scrapping it (notices) to save their skin.”Additional superintendent of police, Sambhal, Alok Kumar Jaiswal also confirmed that notices issued against the farmers would be scrapped.SDM Yadav said issuing notices during a protest was a routine exercise, but it was blown out of proportion in this instance. He accused the farmers of blocking roads, caused inconvenience to people.Reacting to SDM’s comment, BKU (Asli) national vice-president Surendra Singh held the administration and the police responsible for road blocks. “We wanted to go to Delhi to join the ongoing farmers’ movement. They (police) stopped us, compelling us to sit on the roads,” he said.

Hindustan Times

18-12-2020

India