Farmers Movement Archive

Protest against Sidhu: Channi writes to police to cancel FIR against farmers

Rupnagar Two days after police registered a First-Information Report (FIR) against 49 farmers for protesting against Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Navjot Singh Sidhu, when he was in Chamkaur Sahib on July 23, cabinet minister Charanjit Singh Channi has written to the police to cancel the case.“I have directed the local police to take back all FIRs,” Channi tweeted. His letter to the police says, “Neither I nor any Congress worker has filed a formal complaint or recorded any statement with the police against the farmers.” “I stand by the farmers in their crusade against the black farm laws and I shall always be with them raising their voice,” another tweet on his handle read.Sidhu, along with Channi and PCC working president Kuljit Singh Nagra, had visited Chamkaur Sahib to pay obeisance at gurdwara Katalgarh Sahib, when they faced farmers’ wrath, who showed them black flags. Following the protest, a case was registered against district president of the Kirti Kisan Morcha Jagmandeep Singh, Kulwant Singh Saini, Jagdeep Kaur, Satnam Singh Sohi, sarpanch of Behrampur Jimidaran, and 45 unidentified persons under Sections 283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation), 323 (voluntary causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint),148 (rioting) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code on a complaint from one of the cops. Farmers, however, protested on Monday as well. Seeking the cancellation of FIRs, they protested at the Solkhian toll plaza in Rupnagar. Jagmandeep Singh, district president of Kirti Kisan morcha, said that in its complaint, the police had alleged that farmers assaulted Congress leaders at the local gurdwara and attempted to block the cavalcade of Sidhu and Channi. “It is a fabricated complaint registered at the behest of Congress leaders. We only raised slogans against Sidhu and showed him black flags, seeking an apology from him for his comments against farmers,” he said. Another farm union leader Parminder Singh said senior police officials visited them during their protest in which they were briefed that the case registered against them was false. “We lifted our protest after officials assured us that the process of cancellation of FIR will be initiated soon,” he said. SP Ajinder Singh said he was aware of Channi’s letter. “We listened to farmers, who have told us their side of story. We assured them that the investigation will be carried and if required, the process of cancellation of the FIR will be started,” he said.

Hindustan Times

27-07-2021

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