Sedition case: Farmers to gherao Mahapanchayat, Sirsa SP office on Saturday

Farmers have announced to gherao the Mahapanchayat and Sirsa Superintendent of Police office on Saturday in the wake of a sedition case filed against 100 farmers in Haryana.

Sirsa:With the sedition case filed against farmers in Haryana gaining momentum, farmers have announced to gherao the Mahapanchayat and Sirsa Superintendent of Police office on Saturday. On the other hand, the police administration has also tightened its gear. To stop the entry of farmers, temporary walls have been erected at many locations. This comes after the vehicle of Haryana Deputy Speaker Ranbir Gangwa was allegedly attacked by farmers on July 11 while he was returning from a program at Chaudhary Devi Lal University in Sirsa district of Haryana.

It has been alleged that the convoy of the Deputy Speaker and other BJP leaders were stopped by the farmers who started pelting stones at them. According to reports, the farmers also broke the glass of the Deputy Speaker's car during the protest. On seeing the protest turned violent, police in the convoy managed to flee the spot and a case has booked against 100 farmers under sedition charges, said police adding that five farmers have also been arrested so far.

Read:|NGO moves SC against sedition law, terms it 'anachronistic'

Demanding their release, the farmers have decided to a Mahapanchayat on Saturday, police added. Reacting to the incident, farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said, "The university was not a political site where BJP organised a program. The farmers were protesting there peacefully. The administration has filed cases to intimidate us." Meanwhile, Sirsa SP Dr Arpit Jain said that no matter how much the farmers try to stop the arrest, all the farmers involved in the case will be arrested shortly.

"Instructions have been given to all DSPs, station in-charges of Sirsa Police on this matter. Arrests will be made as soon as possible," he said. Notably, a debate has erupted after a sedition case was registered against farmers in Haryana, where the question arises that whether a sedition charge can be filed for opposing the government? Talking over this issue, ETV Bharat spoke to Punjab and Haryana High Court's lawyer Ferry Sofat who said that booking farmers under the sedition charge are unconstitutional.

Read:|SC calls sedition law 'colonial', questions Centre over its utility

"There is Right to Freedom and Expression in the country. Everyone can have their say. Everyone has the right to keep their demand. If someone gets hurt during the protest, the police can register an FIR by adding the sections of IPC or CrPC but a sedition charge cannot be imposed," he said. Significantly, the Supreme Court has also questioned the Center on the use of sedition law in the country even after 75 years of Independence.

The court also expressed concern over the misuse of the law by the police on those who are against the government. A bench led by Chief Justice NV Ramana questioned that sedition is a colonial law used by the British to silence freedom fighters then what is the use of this law now even after 75 years of independence?

Read:|Sedition law being misused, want speedy trial: Kanhaiya Kumar on prosecution order