Farmers Movement Archive

Protests against farm laws: Cops booked many, but charged a few

In 358 days since the morning of November 27 -- when farmers largely from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh started their sit-in protest against the three farm laws at three city borders -- Delhi Police filed at least 70 FIRs against the protesters in multiple cases. These include the Republic Day violence case and the Disha Ravi “toolkit” cases, according to officers aware of the matter.The cases relate to allegations of rioting, attempt to murder, obstructing police from doing their duty, and violating Covid-19 guidelines. Over 250 people have been arrested, who are all out on bail.HT spoke to several mid-level Delhi Police officers who confirmed that, of the 70 FIRs, police filed a charge sheet in only one case – the Republic Day violence. It is on the basis of a charge sheet, usually filed within 60 or 90 days of a case being registered, that court takes cognisance and starts a trial.With Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing on Friday that the government had decided to repeal the farm laws, farm groups demanded that the government withdraw all cases related to the protests. Delhi Police officers said they were yet to receive any directions about the investigation or filing of charge sheets in the cases other than the one about the violence on January 26, 2021, when a tractor march by the farmers got out of hand, leading to clashes in which 394 police personnel and 10 farmers were injured. One of the farmers lost his life during the protest, but that appeared to be an accidental death.“The withdrawal of farm laws and the crimes for which the FIR was lodged are two different things. The incidents happened, so legally speaking, the cases have to be investigated. But because the charge sheets have not been filed, it is possible that we may be asked to seek legal opinion,” said a senior officer who asked not to be named.Another officer, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said a decision may be taken only after protesters vacate the three spots on the Delhi border that they have blocked for nearly a year. “The decision will be taken at the MHA level. But one thing is for sure. In the Republic Day violence case, police will proceed legally because the charge sheet has been filed,” the second officer said.During the Republic Day tractor rally, protesting farmers deviated from the pre-approved route of the rally and clashed with police personnel. Protesters also entered Red Fort, vandalised the protected monument, and hoisted two flags -- one religious and one of a farmer union. Police said that the violence was a “well-planned conspiracy to defame the government”, but the farmer leaders distanced themselves from the event, some that some youngsters and “outsiders” got carried away.In a meeting of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha(SKM) held on Friday at the Singhu border, one of the agenda items of the meeting was the cases filed during the movement. SKM is an umbrella body of at least 40 different farmer unions. Prominent Farmers leaders, including as Darshan Pal, SS Pannu, Buta Singh Burjgil and Rakesh Tikait, have been named in more than one FIR. Harinder Singh, SKM’s media coordinator, said: “Hundreds of fabricated cases were imposed on protesting farmers in Punjab, Haryana, and other states including the ones during the Republic Day incident in Delhi. All such cases should be dismissed.”Another farm leader, Om Pal Mallik, regional secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Union(BKU), said they would only vacate the borders cases only after the cases were withdrawn. Apart from the January 26 violence case, another case related to the movement was that of Disha Ravi, a 22-year-old climate activist. Police arrested Ravi on February 13, accusing her of collaborating with pro-Khalistan groups to orchestrate the Republic Day violence. Police said that she held a Zoom call with these groups before January 26 to plan a “social media storm” during the tractor rally. They also accused her of sharing a Google “toolkit” with Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, on which the social media storm conspiracy was detailed. But police have not filed a charge sheet in this case. Ravi denied any role in a conspiracy, and several experts have contended that toolkits were a routine exercise in planning social media campaigns for a cause.A police officer, aware of the case development, said that police are still waiting for replies from Google and Zoom on the IP addresses of the people who had access to the toolkit. “The case is with the cyber cell. It can only proceed if they share the details,” the officer said.

Hindustan Times

20-11-2021

Delhi