Farmers Movement Archive

Haryana: Farmers booked for sedition get bail

SIRSA: Five farmers arrested on sedition charges in Sirsa were released from Hisar jail on Thursday, after a bail petition filed on their behalf in the court earlier in the day was accepted by district and sessions judge Rajesh Malhota. All five, who denied filing bail petitions, reached here and broke the fast of senior farm leader Baldev Singh Sirsa, who had gone on an indefinite fast as a protest against the arrests, by offering him coconut water. Haryana Kisan Manch state president Prahlad Singh Bharukhera, one of five booked for sedition, said, “Truth has won today, so have farmers.” He said the July 23 Sirsa Bandh and the July 24 gherao of deputy speaker Ranbir Gangwa’s house stand deferred now but the ongoing agitation against the three farm laws will continue and BJP leaders will be opposed as before. SP Arptit Jain said the five were released on bail but there was no agreement with farmers yet. The sedition section has not been removed in the case registered against them, he said. Ashwini Kumar Phogat, who pleaded in court on behalf of the farmers, said he had gone to Sirsa to argue the bail plea of farmers. However, when asked whether farmers had appointed him as their advocate, he said that he cannot talk about it right now. Balkar Singh, Nikka Singh, Balkaur Singh, all residents of Faggu village, Sahab Singh of Khairpur village and Daljit Singh of Ranga village in Sirsa district were arrested on July 15 after police registered cases against 100 farmers for storming into the July 11 meeting of BJP district executive body. The Civil Line police had registered FIR 204 on July 11 on the complaint of duty magistrate, district welfare officer Sushil Kumar and applied sections 124-A (sedition), 148 (armed riot), 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (injuring public servants) and 353 (criminal force to deter public servants) of the Indian Penal Code against them. BA student fails to take exam Among the farmers released from jail was Sahab Singh, who is a student of BA second year. He said he had to take offline papers and had sought the permission of court, which was refused. He said he will file a petition in the court again to take the exams.

The Times of India

2021-07-23

Chandigarh