NIA notices attempt to harass farmers: Unions
Farmers say the summons could hit ongoing talks with the central govt
NEW DELHI: Notices being served by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the anti-terror organisation, on supporters of the ongoing farmers’ campaign against a set of agricultural laws could be a hurdle in ongoing talks, farmers’ unions said on Sunday, labelling the NIA action “harassment” by the government.
The unions have decided no farmer who has received such notices will appear before the agency as a mark of protest, Balbir Singh Rajewal, a senior leader of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a platform of unions, told HT.
The NIA has summoned over two dozen people in a case related to an organisation called Sikhs for Justice, which advocates Sikh secessionism and is allegedly aiding the protesters.
Farm union leader Baldev Singh Sirsa is among those who have also received notices.
“There are many organisations which are helping us in so many ways… by organising langars (community kitchens), logistics, tents etc. The government is trying to threaten them and weaken the agitation through harassment,” Rajewal said. “We have decided that no farmer who has got these notices will appear before the NIA as a mark of protest,” he added.
The farm unions had raised the issue of NIA summoning those who have supported the farm agitation with three Union ministers — Narendra Singh Tomar, Piyush Goyal and Som Parkash — during the ninth round of talks on January 15.
According to a press statement by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, agriculture minister Tomar had “promised to look into the matter”.
“Despite this, the notices given to the agitators even today is shameless, it shows insensitivity of the government. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha condemns act of serving these notices. In the coming days, legal action will also be taken against these notices,” the unions said in a statement.
The farm unions representing tens of thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, who have launched a mass agitation around the national capital, are demanding that the government scrap three laws approved by Parliament.
As HT had reported first, the NIA had issued summons to over two dozen people associated with farmers’ protests on January 15 asking them to appear before it in Delhi in connecting with its probe related to funding of Khalistanis, or Sikh separatists abroad ,for organising on-ground campaigns and demonstrations outside Indian missions in the UK, the US, Canada,
Germany and other countries. The probe also focuses on use of several NGOs for funding the Khalistani campaigns, particularly spearheaded by the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).
The agency officials say the persons called for examination have been issued notices as “witnesses” to clarify certain aspects regarding the probe.
Randhawa slams Centre for NIA summons
CHANDIGARH: Punjab cabinet minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Sunday slammed the Centre over notices by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to farmers and those lending support to the ongoing protest against the three farm laws. Randhawa said the farmers would not be cowed down by such empty threats. “The NIA notices are part of a devious ploy by the BJP-led government to weaken the farmers’ movement,” the Congress leader said.