Plea in SC alleges violation of farmers’ rights

Agnostos Theos, Managing Director of the Sikh Chamber of Commerce, on Friday filed a plea in the Supreme Court alleging violation of the rights of the “peacefully protesting” farmers by the Centre and some states.

The petitioner claimed the Centre and some states have issued “threats” and fortified the national capital’s borders, after several farmer unions called protests seeking legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for their crops and implementation of the Swaminathan committee’s recommendations.
“The petitioner is seeking a writ of mandamus in the interest of the farmers who are facing unfair treatment in their peaceful protests,”it added.

The petitioner further stated that the farmers coming to protest for their rights even by their own private vehicles, from state bordering Delhi, were forcefully arrested and detained by the governments. Similarly, farmers coming from various other states of the county, to join the protesting farmers, were detained in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and were also sent to other states, just to avoid them meeting with protesting farmers, it added.
The petitioner alleged the governments of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have employed “aggressive and violent measures”, like using tear gas, rubber bullets and pellets against the farmers, causing them serious injuries.

Moreover, the actions taken by the Respondent governments by creating fortification across the borders of the national capital, creating hostile and violent situations against its own peaceful citizens and not allowing the farmers to exercise their democratic right, has led to direct and indirect defamation of the intentions and the objective of the protesting farmers, it added.

The plea sought a direction against the Centre, the four states and the National Human Rights Commission to “consider the reasonable demands of the farmers from across India, who are in continuous peaceful protest, demonstration and agitation”.
It also sought directions to the respondents to ensure “fair and respectful treatment of the protesting farmers”, besides allowing free movement. The petitioner also sought a report about alleged human rights violations by police, besides adequate compensation for the victim farmers and their families.