New Delhi: A delegation of Samyukt Kisan Morcha leaders on Tuesday met Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and urged him to conduct a judicial inquiry into the alleged conspiracy against farmers protesting the Centre’s farm laws.
Following this, Kejriwal appeared in a live broadcast, where he assured farmers of his government’s help in tracing missing farmers. The chief minister, however, did not comment on the demand for judicial inquiry.
Earlier, the Morcha leaders in a press conference said the Delhi government informed them that 115 farmers arrested by police were in Tihar jail, and they demanded formation of a medical board to examine them.
The leaders of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farmers’ unions, met Kejriwal to discuss the issue of farmers lodged in Delhi jails and persons who were “missing” after the Republic Day tractor rally.
Kejriwal assured the farm leaders of his full support in their fight for justice, the city government said in a statement.
The Morcha leaders a legal team had been formed on Monday to assist those who are missing or have been lodged in jail.
The Morcha leaders also submitted a list of 29 “missing” youths to the chief minister.
Also Read: Tractor Rally: Questions Over Arrest Tally; Protesters’ Families Say They Were Kept in Dark
“The delegation demanded a medical board and said the investigation will expose the police brutality done on farmers. The leaders also demanded a judicial inquiry into the whole case so that the conspiracy of January 26 could be revealed,” a statement said.
The farmer leaders also demanded that tractors and other vehicles seized by police should be given back to the farmers.
Kejriwal was accompanied by Delhi home minister Satyendra Jain and AAP MLA Raghav Chadha during the meeting with the delegation.
AAP government list of those arrested for January 26 rally by The Wire on Scribd
No compensation to farmers who died during the protest: Centre
Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday replied in the negative when asked in the Lok Sabha if the government proposes to compensate families of farmers who have died during the ongoing agitation against the farm laws.
When asked specifically if the government was aware that a “number of farmer protesters have died or fallen ill”, Tomar did not provide a direct answer.
On whether the government proposes to give compensation to the families of the farmers who have died during the agitation, the minister replied: “No Sir”.
Separately, similar questions related to deaths of farmers during the protest were asked by Lok Sabha MPs to the home ministry. In his written reply, minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai said police and public order are state subjects and the Centre does not have information.
“Central Government keeps a constant watch on activities of individuals and organisations having bearing on national security and public order through its security and law enforcement agencies. Requisite action is taken as per law, whenever necessary,” Rai said.
Tikait to attend mahapanchayat in Haryana’s Jind
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait will attend a farmers’ mahapanchayat in Haryana’s Jind district on Wednesday to gather support for the agitation against the farm laws.
Elaborate arrangements have been put in place at Jind’s Kandela village for the event, Sarv Jatiya Kandela Khap head Tekram Kandela said on Tuesday.
Besides Tikait, several khap leaders will also take part, he said.
It will be a big gathering to muster support for the farmers’ agitation, Kandela said.
The Kandela khap, which had spearheaded a farmers’ agitation in Haryana nearly two decades ago, has lent its support to farmers’ protest.
Several other khaps too are backing the agitation.
Tekram Kandela said at the Wednesday’s event, issues including the demand to repeal the farm laws and a legal guarantee of the minimum support price (MSP) will be taken up.
The Centre should talk to farmers and immediately find a resolution as thousands of farmers have been holding the agitation for months now. The prime minister should himself talk to the farmers to find an early solution, Kandela said.
Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait having his meal at the Ghazipur border the during farmers’ protest, February 2, 2021. Photo: PTI/Vijay Verma
Support sought for chakka jam
Meanwhile, Haryana BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni reached Surewala Chowk in Hisar district’s Uklana and addressed a group of farmers, where he sought their support for the countrywide chakka jam called by farmer unions on February 6.
Farmer unions on Monday announced to block national and state highways for three hours in protest against the Internet ban in areas near their agitation sites and the alleged harassment meted out to them by the authorities.
Chaduni also criticised the government’s move of parking buses to seal the main entry points, putting up multi-layer barricades and checkpoints at the Delhi’s Ghazipur border, the new focal point of the farmers’ agitation.
He said the farmers’ agitation will continue till the time the government does not withdraw the farm laws.