Haryana police invoke sedition charges against protesting farmers

Haryana police have invoked sedition charges against a gaggle of protesting farmers who allegedly attacked and broken the official car of Haryana Deputy Speaker Ranbir Gangwa in Sirsa on July 11, throughout an indication against the Centre’s farm legal guidelines and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.

Sirsa’s Senior Superintendent of Police Arpit Jain confirmed to The Puucho that sedition charges beneath Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code had been invoked against the accused and an investigation was beneath means.

“So far, no arrests have been made in the case,” he stated on Wednesday.

The Sirsa police have registered the FIR beneath Section 124A (sedition), 307 (try and homicide) and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public features), by which two farmer leaders — Harcharan Singh and Prahlad Singh — have been booked. Apart from them, over 100 unidentified individuals have been booked.

On July 11, the official automobile of the Deputy Speaker was attacked in Sirsa by a gaggle of protesters shouting slogans and waving black flags. During the demonstration, protesters allegedly smashed the windscreen of automobiles by pelting stones. Mr. Gangwa, nonetheless, escaped unharmed.

‘Govt. provoking farmers’

Reacting to the FIR, senior Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) chief Darshan Pal stated the federal government was attempting to impress farmers by taking such steps. “By invoking sedition charges, the government is provoking the farmers. How can sedition and murder charges be justified if a windscreen of a vehicle was broken?”

“We have already announced that all legislators, including those from the BJP, the Jannayak Janta Party and the Independents who support the laws, will be peacefully boycotted and will not be allowed entry into villages across the State. We will take a call on the issue at a meeting today [July 14],” he added.

The SKM is the umbrella organisation of farmer unions which is spearheading the continued protest.

In an official assertion, the SKM stated the sedition and different charges have been invoked on the directions of the State BJP authorities, which was condemnable. The authorities is utilizing terrorising techniques against farmers, merely as a result of the farmers had proven black flags to BJP leaders at Sirsa, it stated.