NEW DELHI: The city government has given its approval to withdraw 17 cases, including one involving the violence on Republic Day last year, during the anti-farm law protests, a senior government official said on Tuesday. He said the file related to the cases was sent by Lt Governor Anil Baijal’s Office to Home Minister Satyendar Jain on January 31.
Jain approved it and sent it to the Chief Minister's office on February 25. The CMO sent the file to the L-G office on February 28 and he approved it on the same day, the officer said. The Delhi Police identified 17 out of the 54 cases registered during November 2020 to December 2021 for withdrawal.
One such case was about 200-300 protesters and 25 tractors reaching the Red Fort and entering its premises through the Lahori Gate, resulting in damage to ticket counters, doorframe metal detector and baggage scanners at the monument.
Another case was registered at the Jyoti Nagar Police Station in northeast Delhi against protesting farmers entering Delhi from the side of UP’s Loni border, riding tractors and allegedly obstructing policemen from discharging their duty and assaulting them.
The protesting farmers in convoys of tractors had entered the national capital on Republic Day last year leading to violence and vandalism on the roads. Most of the cases were registered for violation of Covid-19 protocols by the protesters during their over one-year-long anti-farm law stir at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders of Delhi.
The protesters laid siege at Delhi borders in November 2020 demanding that the Centre withdraw the three farm laws. The protest ended in December 2021 after the Modi government withdrawing the farm laws.