DM Monitoring
NEW DELHI: Intensifying their agitation against the three new agricultural laws, protesting farmer unions Wednesday announced a four-hour nationwide ‘rail roko’ (railway blockade) on February 18. In a statement, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which is spearheading the protest, also announced that toll collection will not be allowed in Rajasthan from February 12.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday declared that these farm laws are “optional and not compulsory”. He asserted that the central government honours the farmers, and it is ready to accept their logical suggestions on the three contentious farm laws.
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait today said that the agitating farmers were not aiming at any change in power at the Centre but a solution to their problems as he said many of their leaders will tour different parts of the country to spread the movement.
Meanwhile, Delhi police on Tuesday arrested actor-activist Deep Sidhu over the violence at the Red Fort on Republic Day.
The protesting farmers have expressed the apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations.
However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and introduce new technologies in agriculture.
A court here has directed the Delhi police to upload on its website all the FIRs that were registered at the Nangloi police station in connection to the violence on Republic Day during farmers’ tractor parade against the Centre’s three new agricultural laws.
Metropolitan Magistrate Abhinav Pandey said except where reasons have been communicated to the court, all the FIRs should be uploaded so that the representatives of the accused persons do not have to run from pillar to post.
The court, however, declined to supply arrest memo, remand order and remand application to the accused, saying no ground was made out to supply the documents to him at the stage of investigation and can only be supplied after cognisance of the charge sheet has been taken.
Regarding the FIRs, it said in order to plead effectively for bail before the court, the accused needs to know the substance of allegations against him, alongwith the prima facie basis for such allegations, and therefore, supply of copy of FIR to such an accused was a necessary element of natural justice and fair trial.
