NEW DELHI: A total of 183 people had been arrested by Delhi Police till July 20 in connection with farmers’ protest and all of them are currently out on bail, the Centre informed Parliament on Wednesday. The Ministry of Home Affairs told the Rajya Sabha that none of the accused was booked under stringent laws like Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and sedition.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed this while responding to a question by CPI member Binoy Viswam. “As per Delhi Police, the provisions of sedition or any other anti-terror law such as UAPA have not been invoked in any of the cases registered against protesting farmers,” Rai said.
On January 26, a clash occurred between the Delhi Police and the protesting farmers during their tractor rally in protest against the Centre’s agri laws, at Red Fort in Delhi. One person died while scores of people were injured in the incident.
In May, the Delhi Police had filed a 3,224-page charge sheet against 16 people, including actor Deep Sidhu and gangster-turned-activist Lakha Sidhana, who were named as the main conspirators in the case. The police had charged the accused under various sections of Indian Penal Code, including sedition, rioting, attempt to murder and violence.
‘Aug 15 to be Kisan Azadi Day’
The protesting farmers would observe Independence Day as ‘Kisan Mazdoor Azadi Sangram Diwas’ and would take out Tiranga marches “to block, tehsil, district headquarters or their nearest Kisan Morcha or dharna” across the country, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha announced Wednesday. The marches will be taken out with the Tricolour on cycles, bikes, carts and tractors,” it said and reiterated that no official flag hoisting event or march would be opposed.