New Delhi- The agitation against the Centre’s new farm laws enters Week 4 with thousands of farmers camping at border points of Delhi adamant on their demands, and the Supreme Court saying it will form a committee to resolve the deadlock.
On Wednesday, the top court observed that the Centre’s talks with the protesting farmers had “not worked apparently” and were bound to fail, and said it would form a committee having representatives of both the sides, but the agitating leaders dismissed it as no solution.
There was disruption of traffic movement on key routes in the national capital on Thursday, the 22nd day of the farmers’ protest to demand for the repeal of the three new agri marketing laws.
Farmers camping at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur border points have led to closure of several routes in Delhi.
According to the city police, Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Sabholi and Mangesh borders are closed. Commuters have been advised to take alternative routes via Lampur, Safiabad and Singhu school toll tax borders, while traffic has been diverted from Mukarba and GTK road, they said.
The Outer Ring Road, GTK road and NH-44 should be avoided, the police said.
Those travelling to Haryana can take Jharoda (only single carriageway), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH 8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera Borders, the police said.
Gazipur border also remains closed for traffic coming from Ghaziabad to Delhi. Commuters have been advised to take alternative routes via Anand Vihar, DND, Chilla, Apsara and Bhopra borders, they added.
Enacted in September, the three farm laws have been projected by the government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.
However, protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.
HC declines plea for providing aid, security and treatment to proesting farmers at Delhi borders
The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to entertain a plea seeking aid, security and treatment of the farmers protesting on the borders of the national capital, saying a similar issue was before the Supreme Court.
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan also said that the high court”s jurisdiction does not extend to areas outside the national capital territory and added that the same plea could have been filed in any of the high courts of Rajasthan, Punjab or Uttar Pradesh.
The bench also observed that the plea was filed without doing any research or preparation and dismissed it.
The court”s order came after Delhi government additional standing counsel Sanjoy Ghose and advocate Rhishabh Jetley told the bench that a similar was being heard by the apex court.
The petition by a lawyer, Ashish, had sought directions to the Centre and Delhi government to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the farmers protesting at the borders of the national capital.
The plea, filed through advocate Rohit Jha, had also sought directions to the authorities to ensure the protests do not turn violent and to remove the road blockages caused by the agitation.
The farmers are protesting at several roads near Delhi borders against the three new farm laws — Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020.
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