Mass sit-in by SKM from today, farmer leaders put on notice

Ravinder Saini

Rohtak, November 25

A day before the proposed three-day Mahapadav (mass sit-in) by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) in Panchkula from November 26 in support of its demands, the Haryana Police today issued warning notices to a number of leaders belonging to farmers’ and labourers’ organisations besides trade unions in various districts of the state.

It asked them to follow the orders/directives issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding such protests, otherwise they should be ready to face a stern action.

Can’t disrupt traffic, says police notice

• The police notices issued to the leaders of various organisation of farmers, labourers and trade unions say that holding any protest or demonstration without permission is a direct violation of the standard operating procedure set by the high court
• Protesters cannot disrupt vehicular movement in Panchkula or elsewhere
• They will require a separate permission to march towards Chandigarh

The mass sit-in is being organised to pressure the Centre for accepting farmers’ pending demands, including legal guarantee of procurement of crops at MSP on the basis of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, withdrawal of police cases registered during the agitation and withholding the disputed electricity Bill amendment.

“Holding any protest/demonstration without permission is a direct violation of standard operating procedure set by the high court while hearing a case regarding protests and demonstrations. Protesters cannot disrupt vehicular movement in Panchkula or elsewhere. They will require a separate permission to march towards Chandigarh,” reads the notice served on the leaders. The notice is a strict official warning and stern action would be taken if any protest/demonstration is organised in violation of the high court’s orders/directives, it says.

“A large number of farm and trade union leaders across the state have intimated me about police notices, but they are not afraid of these and will reach Panchkula tomorrow to make the Mahapadav a success. We are making arrangements for over 8,000 protesters at Sector 5 in Panchkula,” said Amarjeet Mohri, a BKU (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) leader.

Kisan Sabha national vice-president Inderjit Singh told “The Tribune” that in Rohtak, All-India Kisan Khet Mazdoor Sangathan national president Satyavan, BKU leader Randheer Dhamar, CITU general secretary Jai Bhagwan, AIKS leaders Preet, Balwan and Sumit Singh, besides Surekha, Kamlesh, Sonia, Babita, Mukesh Khasa, Reena from various outfits had been served warning notices.

“Such notices cannot scare us and we will participate in the Mahapadav in a large number,” said Satyavan.

In Rewari, Rajendra Singh, district president, AIUTUC, said the police notices were an attack on the constitutional right of carrying out peaceful agitation.