NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court will hear 35 students of Panjab University who wrote to the Chief Justice urging him to take cognizance of police excesses against protesting farmers.
The top court registered the letter written by these students as a PIL. In their letter, the students appealed the top court to order an inquiry into the Haryana Police’s action of ‘illegitimate’ use of water cannons, tear gas shells and lathis on the peaceful protesting farmers. The letter contended that farmers are protesting peacefully, but the government is not sensitive to these issues.
Incidentally, the Haryana Police on Sunday had fired tear gas shells to stop a group of farmers from moving towards Delhi. Hundreds of farmers, mostly from Punjab, have been protesting at Delhi borders for over a month for repeal of the three recently enacted farm laws. The students have urged the Chief Justice to direct the Haryana and Delhi Police to withdraw all the cases against innocent farmers which, they claimed, were registered as political vendetta, as well as order a probe into the cases of illegal detention of farmers.
The students from the Centre for Human Rights and Duties, Panjab University, also sought a direction from the top court to both the Centre and the state governments to ensure the safety of all protesters, and to provide basic amenities to all, especially women, children and the elderly.
MP minister attacks protesters
MP agriculture minister Kamal Patel said farmers staging protest on Delhi borders have rejected pleas to end their stir as they are “enacting a drama to sleep” and it is not possible to “awake” them.
Hooda reaches out to farmers
Haryana Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the Congress will provide a financial assistance of `2 lakh each to families of farmers who have died during the agitation.