Farmers Movement Archive

MLA Devender Singh Babli apologises after farmers gather for ‘mass court arrest’ in Tohana

FATEHABAD: Jannayak Janata Party’s (JJP) Tohana MLA Devender Singh Babli apologised for using inappropriate language on Saturday evening after the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders Rakesh Tikait, Gurnam Singh Charuni and Yogendra Yadav reached Tohana on Saturday for the mass court arrest, demanding apology from Babli and withdrawal of criminal cases against farmers. Scores of farmers also reached Tohana to court arrest and protest against the state government over filing of cases and arrest of farmers. Later, Babli approached the farmer leaders himself and offered to apologise, after which a meeting of the delegation of five members of the MLA with the delegation of 12 members of farmers was held and then the MLA released the video in which he is seen apologising. In this video, he has also indicated that he will forgive those with whom he had a confrontation on June 1. According to the matter, on June 1, protesters who had come out to stop Babli from inaugurating an X-ray machine at the town’s civil hospital pelted his car with stones and smashed its glass, injuring his private secretary, Radhe Bishnoi, and hurting two of their own. After this, SKM protested in Tohana on June 2 and the MLA had sought three days’ time. After this, Charuni gave an ultimatum till June 7 to the administration to register an FIR against the MLA and called off Wednesday’s protest. However, on the other side, Vikas Sisar, a local farmer activist, led a group to gherao the house of Babli in Badhai Khera village and the police arrested Vikas and Ravi and on June 3, another case was registered against them and both were sent to jail. In protest against this, a meeting was held by Tikait at Ramanay (Mayyar) toll plaza of Hisar in which the mass court arrest programme was announced for June 5. On Saturday, farmers first gathered in Tohana’s grain market and leaders like Tikait, Gurnam Charuni, Yadav and Jogendra Ghasiram also reached there. In the afternoon, the farmers headed to Tohana Sadar police station and surrounded the police station. But they were not arrested, as there was no duty magistrate present. Meanwhile, MLA Babli called Ghasiram and offered to apologise and withdraw the case. Government made laws to rob farmers: Tikait Earlier, addressing the public meeting, Tikait said the governments world over has made laws to prevent crops being less than the cost price, but the government here has made laws to rob farmers. He said the movement will go on until the government withdraws the black laws. “In 2024, the laws will automatically go back,” Tikait said. Jail agitation safest: Charuni Farmer leader Charuni said first he and Tikait will let themselves be arrested and later other farmers will also be arrested and this process will continue. He also added that the jail movement is the safest movement, the government will take it at sits own expense, and will give free food and medicine. “If the government does not agree to it soon, then we will sit in jail with family, expenses will also be borne by the government,” Charuni said.

The Times of India

2021-06-06

Chandigarh