TAD NewsDesk, Sambhal (UP): Amidst the heat of the farmer protests in the NCR area reaching to other parts of the nation, authorities issued notices to six farmer leaders in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh. Based upon a police report warning of breach of peace during ongoing protests against the farm bills, the administration initially asked them to submit personal bonds of INR 50 Lakh each. When the farmers complained that the amount was too much, it was revised to INR 50000 each.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (Asli) district president Rajpal Singh Yadav and farmer leaders Jaiveer Singh, Raudas, Brahmachari Yadav, Satendra Yadav and Veer Singh are the six farmers who were served these notices. The aforementioned have been organising protests in the district over the centre’s recently implemented three farm legislations.
Accoding to Sub-Divisional Magistrate Deependra Yadav, “We got a report from the Hayatnagar police station that some people are inciting farmers and there can be breach of peace, so they should be asked to fill personal bonds of ₹ 50 lakh each.” He further said,
“After the farmers complained that the amount was too much, the police station in charge submitted another report, following which, they were asked to submit personal bonds of INR 50,000 each.”
The notices have been issued under Section 111 (magistrate order against any person who is likely to commit breach of peace) of the Code of Criminal Procedure on the basis of a report submitted by local police, the official said.
Meanwhile, BKU (Asli) leader Rajpal Singh Yadav said, “Come what may, we will not fill the bonds. They can hang us or send us to jail. We’re fighting for the rights of farmers.”
BKU (Asli) division president Sanjeev Gandhi said none of the farmers or their family members planned to sign on the bonds.
“We’re only doing peaceful protests, not any crime“, Gandhi added.
UPDATE: Administration scraps notice after questions raised.
In a welcome move, the Sambhal district administration has decided to withdraw the notices issued.
“Initially, we had revised the amount, but after farmers’ gave in written assurances that they would carry out their protest peacefully, we eventually decided to scrap all the notices.” SDM Yadav said. He added that issuing notices during a protest was a routine exercise, but in this case, it was blown out of proportion. He also accused the farmers of blocking roads, causing inconvenience to general public.
Additional Superintendent of Police Alok Kumar Jaiswal also confirmed that the notices issued against the farmers were to be scrapped.
However, BKU (Asli) president Harpal Singh commented, “We were protesting peacefully since the beginning and no farmer has given anything in writing. They are scrapping it (notices) to save their skin.”
