'Farmers have right to protest but none can take law into hands'
Darpan News Desk IANS, 24 Nov, 2021 11:56 AM
New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana on Wednesday said the farmers have democratic right to protest but no one can be allowed to take law into his hands.
"The farmers' agitation has been going on for a long time. Since I have joined [as Commissioner], farmers have been allowed to protest at Jantar Mantar. The farmers have democratic right to protest but no one can be allowed to take law into their hands," the Commissioner said during an event at the Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC) here.
Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently announced the repeal of three controversial farm laws after a year of protests. Thousands of farmers are still camping at Delhi's borders and several died from heat, cold and Covid.
Commissioner Asthana said that Delhi Police is committed to maintain law and order in the city.
Speaking on the cases registered against farmers for the January 26 violent protests, Asthana informed that some cases have been registered against the farmers. "We have investigated and some have been chargesheeted," he added.
Meanwhile, the union cabinet cleared 'The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021' on Wednesday that will repeal the three contentious farm laws, as announced by the Prime Minister on November 19.
This is a significant development after the new Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made it crystal clear within minutes of taking charge that "law of the land is supreme" and no one can afford to disrespect it.
Denying reports of his resignation, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's media advisor Raveen Thukral said on Thursday that the former would lead the Congress to victory in the Assembly elections scheduled early next year.
India is still witnessing the second wave which is not yet over as northeastern states and some parts of south India are still battling it, a member of the government's Covid expert panel said on Thursday.
The passage of the bill through both the houses of the parliament will be fulfilment of the demand of 12 lakh Indians who marched across 22 states and 12,000km demanding a strong law against trafficking along with Kailash Satyarthi in 2017.
Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh has announced waiver of Rs 590 crore worth of loans under the farm debt waiver scheme for labourers and the landless farming community, an official statement said on Wednesday.
