COUTESY HT OCT 15
Centre, Punjab jointly responsible for pacifying farmers, says HC
HT Correspondent
letterschd@hindustantimes.com
Chandigarh : The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday made it clear that it is the collective responsibility of Centre and the Punjab government to hold extensive discussions at the highest level with agitating farmers on new farm laws to pacify them. It also requested the Centre and Punjab to apprise it by Friday of progress of the talks between farmers’ leaders and Centre.
“ ..if they (farmers) have to continue, (protests) should be held peacefully, with the least possible inconvenience to everyone and consistent with the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) guidelines (on covid-19) and directions issued by the Supreme Court from time to time (on holding of protests),” the bench of justice S Muralidhar and justice Avneesh Jhingan said during the resumed hearing of a plea on Wednesday.
‘Talks are in progress’
Earlier, Punjab as well as the Centre had told court that at present, talks are in progress both by the state government and Centre with the representatives of the protesting farmers’ organisations. Punjab had told court that protests were peaceful so far, but in some places rail tracks and toll collection centres on highways have been blocked by farmers.
“The court requests the Government of Punjab as well as the Union of India to apprise it on the next date of the progress of these talks. We would also impress on the governments that it would be their collective responsibility to hold as extensive discussions as are possible, and at the highest level of the respective government machineries, with the protesting farmer outfits to ensure an outcome that is consistent with the need of the hour viz, that the protests end,” the bench underlined.
The plea being adjudicated was originally filed in 2019 by a Patiala resident against the farmers’ stir. In the pending plea in September, the petitioner moved an application seeking direction to Punjab to ensure that Covid-19 norms are followed by farmers.