In New Delhi on August 23, a petition has been lodged with the Supreme Court, asserting that the rights of farmers engaging in peaceful protests have been infringed upon by the Centre and certain states.
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New Delhi: On August 23, a petition has been lodged with the Supreme Court, asserting the alleged violation of the rights of “peacefully protesting” farmers by the Centre and certain states. The plea claimed that after several farmer unions called for protests seeking legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for their crops and implementation of the Swaminathan committee’s recommendations, the Centre and some states issued “threats” and fortified the national capital’s borders.
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“The petitioner is seeking a writ of mandamus in the interest of the farmers who are facing unfair treatment in their peaceful protests,”
-said the petition filed by Agnostos Theos, Managing Director of the Sikh Chamber of Commerce.
It further alleged that some protesters were forcibly arrested and detained by various state governments, while the Centre invoked prohibitory measures such as blocking social media accounts, rerouting traffic, and blocking roads. The plea claimed that the governments of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh employed “aggressive and violent measures” against the farmers, including tear gas, rubber bullets, and pellets, resulting in serious injuries and deaths.
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According to the petition, the lack of medical aid aggravated the injuries, and the fortifications at Delhi’s borders created a “hostile and violent situation,” preventing farmers from exercising their democratic right to protest.
“The peaceful farmers have been subject to conditions similar to terrorists by their own government, simply for the exercise of their democratic and constitutional rights,”
-it stated.
The plea sought a direction against the Centre, the four states, and the National Human Rights Commission to
“consider the reasonable demands of the farmers from across India, who are in continuous peaceful protest, demonstration, and agitation.”
It also requested directions to ensure
“fair and respectful treatment of the protesting farmers,”
as well as allowing free movement.
Additionally, the plea sought a report on alleged human rights violations by police, along with adequate compensation for the victim farmers and their families.
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