Farmers Movement Archive

Blockade at Delhi borders: Supreme Court notice to 43 farm unions

The Supreme Court has issued notice to 43 farmer unions on an interim application filed by the Haryana government seeking their impleadment in a case pertaining to unblocking of inter-state and national highways. The farmers’ unions, sought to be made a party to the case, are steering the protest over the enactment of three central agri-marketing laws and squatting at the doorstep of the national capital. The matter has been listed for October 20. The apex court while hearing a petition, which sought unblocking of the highways leading to the national capital, had on August 23 said the central, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments must co-ordinate to ensure that the inter-state roads and national highways do not remain blocked due to farmers’ protest. However, when the protesting farmers did not turn up for talks on September 19, the state government moved an application to make them respondents in the case. As per an application filed by the state government, the state president of Krantikari Kisan Union, Punjab, Darshan Pal; president Bhartiya Kisan Union, Rakesh Tikait; national president of Swarai Abhiyan, Yogendra Yadav; president of Bhartiya Kisan Union Ekta, Ugrahan, Joginder Singh; Mahila Kisan Adhikar Manch’s Kavitha Kuruganti, president, Kisan Mazdoor Sangh Committee’s Satnam Singh were among the 43 entities sought to be made respondents in the case. The state government in its application before the apex court said the dharna on Singhu and Tikri borders had been organised by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which was a body of number of kisan unions. The application said to resume free flow of traffic on these roads for the convenience of general public, a state-level committee called a meeting on September 19 and asked the farmer leaders to join the meeting. Unfortunately, the farmers did not come forward for discussion. “A plea for impleading the farmer leaders as respondents was made and the SC permitted the state government to move an appropriate application for impleadment, and accordingly the present application is being filed,” the application said, adding that to resolve the issue and in view of the facts narrated, it is necessary that the parties as mentioned may kindly be impleaded. The apex court, on a petition filed by a Noida-based woman, Monicca Agarwaal, had said the solution lied n the hands of central and the state governments concerned. The bench said they must coordinate to ensure that if the protests were on, at least the inter-state roads and national highways were not blocked in any manner whatsoever, so that to and fro on those roads does not cause great inconvenience to people using those roads.

Hindustan Times

06-10-2021

Chandigarh