Withdraw cases lodged against farmers for protest marches: Samyukt Kisan Morcha

Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday demanded the withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during their protest marches on June 26 to mark seven months of their agitation against the Centre's three farm laws.

SKM, the umbrella body of farmer bodies spearheading the agitation, said the Chandigarh police has booked several farmer leaders on several charges.

Farmers on Saturday marched towards the Raj Bhavan in different states to submit memoranda, addressed to the president, and to governors to mark seven months of protests against the Centre's three farm laws.

"In Chandigarh, it is reported that FIRs have been filed against several SKM leaders and many other protestors under IPC sections 147, 148, 149, 186, 188, 332 and 353," the SKM said in a statement.

It alleged that after barricading the roads, the "police also resorted to using water cannons and lathicharge on the protestors".

"On top of this kind of undemocratic and authoritarian behaviour, cases are now being filed against SKM leaders. Samyukt Kisan Morcha condemns this and demands that the FIRs be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally," it said.

In many places, farmers were not allowed to even take out rallies to Raj Bhavans and there were detention and lock-ins of SKM leaders, it said.

"SKM condemns this and points out that this itself is an illustration of the failure of democracy and the undeclared emergency that we are going though," it said in the statement.

Noting that cases have been filed against 15 farmers in Hisar who had taken part in a protest against a BJP meeting on June 25, the SKM said the FIRs should be withdrawn immediately.

The farmers started their stir against the contentious farm laws in November by camping at Singhu border between Delhi and Haryana, besides at Tikri and Ghazipur borders.

The protesting farmers have demanded the withdrawal of the Centre's farm laws and that a new law be made to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

The protesting farmers will mark Monday "Kisan Mazdoor Bhaichara Diwas" at Sunehra protest site near the Haryana-Rajasthan border, it added.