COURTESY HT NOV 26

Will be forced to pass harsh orders: HC on rail blockade
HT Correspondent

letterschd@hindustantimes.com

Chandigarh : The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday said that in view of losses being suffered by railways and Punjab, it would be forced to pass harsh orders against those blocking rail tracks.

The observations were made as the Centre and Punjab governments told the court that blockade on rail tracks from other places has been removed and now only a point in Amritsar remained affected, which is causing problems in smooth functioning.

The Centre also reiterated that it had no plans to abolish agriculture marketing produce mandis established under the law and the MSP (Minimum Support Prices) being given to farmers for crops.

The government is also in talks with the protesting farmers’ groups and next round was scheduled for December 3, additional solicitor general Satya Pal Jain told the high court bench of chief justice RS Jha and justice Arun Palli. Submissions by Jain was made during the resumed hearing of a plea on farmers protests against the new farm laws brought in by the Centre.

Punjab advocate general Atul Nanda also apprised the court that protests have been peaceful so far and rail tracks had been cleared, except in Amritsar where one group, of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangarsh Committee (Piddi Group), was continuing with the protests.

The high court bench questioned the farmers group for its failure to clear rail blockades. The blockage of road and railway traffic causing major damage cannot be condoned, the bench said, adding that it would be forced to pass harsh orders which may even include forceful eviction, criminal prosecution or making protesters to pay for the losses or even withdrawal of subsidies to protesters. Now, it has asked their counsel, BS Sidhu, Centre and Punjab to take immediate steps to resolve the issue.

Haryana farm union moves court

Haryana Progressive Farmers Union, a protesters body, moved the high court on Wednesday alleging illegal detention of its 100 leaders who had to go to Delhi to participate in protests, scheduled for Thursday and Friday.

The Haryana government is to submit a report in this regard to court on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a plea filed by a Chandigarh resident praying for the court to allow farmers to go to Delhi for the proposed protest will also come up for hearing on Thursday.

The plea challenges advisories and prohibitory orders put out by Haryana on movement towards Delhi