BJP-ally JJP asks Haryana minister Vij to withdraw cases against protesting farmers

Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), the BJP's coalition partner in Haryana, met Home Minister Anil Vij here on Friday and sought withdrawal of cases registered in the state against farmers participating in the "Delhi Chalo" march against the Centre's farm laws.

A three-member JJP delegation led by the party's state unit chief Nishan Singh met the state home minister. Senior party leader Digvijay Singh Chautala was also part of the delegation.

"We have requested the minister that the cases filed against the farmers during their movement to the national capital must be taken back immediately," Chautala said after the meeting.

He told reporters that the minister assured him of taking up the matter with Chief Minister M L Khattar.

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JJP is party of the farmers, Chautala said. "We all are connected with the ideology of Chaudhary Devi Lal, and it is our moral duty to stand with the farmers."

He added the party was hopeful of positive results from the talks being held between the Centre and the protesting farmers in Delhi.

Chautala had on Thursday said cases against farmers registered by the Haryana Police must be withdrawn to ensure that the situation does not worsen and no mistrust is created between the farmers and the government.

The JJP has been facing the opposition's ire for "clinging to power" and not walking out of the alliance over the farmers' issues.

Haryana Police has booked state Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni and several farmers on attempt to murder and rioting charges in Ambala.

Hundreds of farmers were booked on charges of rioting, participating in unlawful assembly, obstructing public servants from discharging their duty, damaging public property and violating various provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 in Ambala, Panipat, Rohtak, Kaithal, Sirsa and other districts of the state a week ago.

The Congress has claimed that over 20,000 farmers in Haryana have been booked by the police for various violations during the "Delhi Chalo" march.

Delhi's border points remained choked as thousands of farmers from Haryana, Punjab and other states held demonstrations for the ninth consecutive day, after Thursday's talks with the government failed to yield any resolution.

The farmer community has expressed apprehension that the new laws are "anti-farmer", and would pave the way for dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporations.

However, the government maintains that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.