SKM legal team seeks single jail for all arrested farmers; meets AAP's Raghav Chadha

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha's (SKM) legal team on Saturday held talks with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and vice-chairman of Delhi Jal Board Raghav Chadha, demanding for the protesting farmers who are arrested and locked up in different jails to be placed in one jail and a legal team should be allowed to meet them without any restrictions. It said that the legal team on Friday visited Tihar Jail in Delhi where 112 farmers are lodged. 

An official SKM release said, "SKM legal panel today talked to Raghav Chadha asking that farmers lodged in different jails be put in single jail, legal panel be allowed to meet farmers without any restrictions and the monetary help being given by SKM to farmers be disbursed easily," the release said.

It further added, "Ten farmers have been granted bail so far and five bail applications have been filed. Priority is being given to the farmers who are not booked under section 307 IPC or other serious offenses." It said the legal panel has decided to provide monetary help to each farmer in jail and the money will be deposited in their accounts by Monday.

Apart from SKM, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh too announced that the Punjab government has arranged a team of 70 lawyers in Delhi to assist those farmers who have been booked by Delhi. Moreover, AAP has also issued legal notices to BJP leaders alleging 'defamation to farmers' and offered water, free wifi, food, and medical aid to farmers camped outside Delhi. The Punjab CM has also assured that he will take up the matter of missing farmers with MHA soon after Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa stated that 'there has been no word to the families regarding their status or present conditions'.

The SKM is an umbrella body of several farm organizations protesting at the Delhi borders seeking the repeal of the three agrarian laws passed by Parliament.

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'16 Farmers Missing Since Jan 26' 

SKM on Saturday stated that 16 farmers are allegedly missing since January 26 when the tractor rally was held, 9 from Haryana, one from Rajasthan, and 6 from Punjab. SKM has also stated that 122 farmers have been arrested in connection to 14 FIRs filed by Delhi police. 

SKM announces nationwide Rail Roko protest

On February 10, SKM had announced that a nationwide Rail Roko (Rail blockade) protest will be held on February 18 from noon to 4 pm. Apart from this, a slew of other decisions were taken in the meeting called by the farm leaders to escalate the ongoing agitation. For instance, On February 16, the farmers will show solidarity throughout the country on the birth anniversary of Sir Chhoturam. At present, the Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of the agrarian laws and formed a committee to resolve the ongoing standoff. 

READ | Samyukta Kisan Morcha: Farmers Observe 'Sadbhavana Diwas', Undertake Fast On Jan 30

READ | SKM Backs Foreign Meddling In Farm Stir, Slams Centre For Not Understanding Farmers' Pain

(With Agency Inputs)