Farmers Movement Archive

Haryana police release 2 farmers; meeting underway for third protester

The Haryana police on Monday released two farmers, arrested over a spat with Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) legislator Devendra S Babli earlier this month, after a standoff of more than 24 hours with agitating agriculturists. After the release, farmers who were staging a sit-in outside the Tohana police station in the Fatehabad district, withdrew. "We have decided to no longer gherao the Tohana police station. One more person is still in jail and a meeting is underway with the police administration to release him," Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said, according to news agency ANI.Ravi Azad and Vikas Sisar were arrested on June 1 following their demonstration against JJP leader Devendra S Babli. During the protest, the farmers gheraoed Babli and shouted slogans against him and showed him black flags. Later, the member of the legislative assembly (MLA) filed a first information report (FIR) alleging that some of the protesters resorted to unruly behaviour and vandalised his car.After this, the farmers also demanded that Babli should be booked for allegedly using abusive language against the farmers and threatening them during the spat.On Saturday, the JJP leader released a video and apologised for his comments. “I forgive those involved in the June 1 incident and apologise for my comments at the time,” he said. Babli also said that he would withdraw the cases filed against Azad and Sisar.The farmers' protest against the three contentious central farm laws completed six months in May as thousands of agriculturists continue to sit at the Delhi borders demanding the Centre to repeal the legislation. Despite several rounds of talks between the Centre and the farmer leaders last year, the deadlock still remains.They are protesting against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.Meanwhile, Tikait is scheduled to meet West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on June 9 to discuss the agitation. Mamata Banerjee has been very vocal against the farm laws and gave her support to farmers' protest. Several TMC lawmakers also visited the Delhi borders where farmers have been protesting since November last year.During the recently-held Bengal assembly elections, Tikait visited the state and campaigned for Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Hindustan Times

07-06-2021

India