Delhi man petitions HC to remove people 'squatting under garb' of farmers agitation, sack police commissioner

A day after large-scale violence was witnessed in the national capital on the Republic Day, a petition was moved in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday seeking to remove people squatting under the garb of farmers agitation and clear all the roads and public places. The plea also sought direction to remove the Delhi Police Commissioner from his position with immediate effect and punish all the police officers who allegedly failed in discharging their duties relating to the Red Fort incident on the Republic Day. The tractor parade on Tuesday that was to highlight the demands of farmer unions to repeal three new agri laws dissolved into anarchy on the streets of the national capital as thousands of protesters broke through barriers, fought with the police, overturned vehicles and hoisted a religious flag from the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort. Petitioner Dhananjai Jain, a Delhi resident, also sought direction to the Centre to put adequate paramilitary forces to protect important monuments and to ensure safety of life and property of citizens of Delhi and restore feeling of confidence and security amongst them. The petition, filed through advocate Bhoop Singh, said the grave and emergent situation arose in the capital of Delhi when on the Republic Day, that is, 26 January, the celebrations were underway. The farmer agitation, which was going on for last so many days, took a very aggravated and violent turn and the farmers reached the interiors of Delhi armed with weapons, hockey sticks, swords and other assault weapons disturbing the peace and law and order and tranquillity in the capital of Delhi city apart from demeaning the Republic Day festivity. It said the protestors and farmers had put the entire capital to ransom and the lives of citizens were brought to a stand still. It added that thousands of protesters reached the interiors of Delhi up to Red Fort and other crucial parts of the city in a totally un-checked and unrestrained manner. The plea said the armed police of Delhi has failed in its duty to keep its honour by protecting the token of sovereignty and Delhi Police has not taken timely decision to allow officials to wield appropriate force. On 12 January, the Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of the contentious new farm laws till further orders and constituted a four-member committee to make recommendations to resolve the impasse over them between the Centre and farmers’ unions protesting at Delhi borders. Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, are protesting at various border points of Delhi for over two months now against the three laws – the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act.