In a significant development, the committee chaired by former court judge Jaishree Thakur is set to record statements from farmers at Kisan Bhawan in Chandigarh on May 6. This committee was established on March 7 following a Public Interest Litigation filed by Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, aiming to investigate the death of young farmer Shubhkaran Singh during the violence on February 21 at the Haryana-Punjab border.
The litigation, filed pro bono by senior advocate APS Deol, former advocate general of Punjab, on behalf of Bajwa on February 27, 2024, initiated its proceedings on February 29. The committee conducted a visit to the site of the clash on April 18 and subsequently called upon witnesses to provide evidence and submit their statements.
However, due to reported cases filed by the Haryana government against unidentified individuals, farmers were hesitant to visit the Narwana PWD Guest House, fearing potential arrests. Responding to concerns, LoP Bajwa, through his counsel Himmat Singh Deol, urged the committee to record statements outside Haryana, ensuring that injured farmers and eyewitnesses could testify without pressure, providing accurate details surrounding Shubhkaran Singh’s demise.
The committee acceded to this request and scheduled hearings at Kisan Bhawan in Chandigarh on May 6 at 1430 hrs. LoP Bajwa stated that approximately 30 injured farmers would be summoned to record their statements, potentially presenting evidence such as tear gas shells, pellets, and empty cartridges of various calibers.
In a critique aimed at the AAP-led government under CM Bhagwant Mann, Bajwa alleged collusion between the Punjab government and the BJP-led administrations in Haryana and at the center. This accusation stemmed from the filing of a ‘Zero FIR’ by the Punjab government a day prior to his petition in the high court.
During the petition’s hearing, the honorable high court highlighted the Punjab government’s alleged evasion of responsibility, juxtaposed with Haryana’s eagerness to participate in the investigation into Shubhkaran Singh’s death and the weapons involved.
The court emphasized the necessity of determining jurisdiction and assessing the proportionality of force employed in the situation, prompting the formation of the committee by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.