New Delhi: Protesting farmers are facing legal challenges emerging out of the tractor parade violence on Republic Day. So some lawyer groups have come forward to offer legal assistance to the protesting farmers. They have started helpline numbers on which the farmers can contact.
Simranjeet Kaur Gill is an advocate at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. She said they are helping those who are in jail or have gone ‘missing’ since the violent protests January 26.
“We are providing legal help to those who have been arrested and gone missing after the farmers’ tractor parade. A total of 124 people have been arrested so far and 39 are missing since January 26. The number is increasing every day,” said Gill, who is at the Singhu border with her team.
The volunteering lawyers have put up some posters under the head ‘advocate for farmers’ advertising two helpline numbers. The numbers are for the Singhu and Tikri borders, the two major agitation sites.
The cases have been filed under various sections. Among them are attempt to murder, damaging public property, obstructing the public servants performing their duty, Gill informed. She said different teams are working the protest sites and outside.
“We are helping people legally since January 27. We have several teams at the three borders – Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur. Around 150 advocates are working at different district courts in the national capital,” Gill said.
Thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally. The rally had been called by their unions to highlight their demand for repeal of the Centre’s three farm laws.
Many of the protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and the flagstaff at the ramparts.