NHRC notices to four govts, police chiefs over farmers protests 'adverse impact'

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The NHRC has sent notices to governments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan and their police chiefs, over allegations that the ongoing farmers protests have "adversely impacted" industrial units and transportation, and Covid-19 safety norms have been breached at the agitation sites.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in a statement, said it has also asked the National Disaster Management Authority, Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Union Health Ministry to submit reports with respect to the "adverse impact of farmers agitation on various aspects and observance of Covid-19 protocols at the protests sites".

"The NHRC has received several complaints regarding the ongoing farmers' protest. There are allegations of adverse impact on the industrial units, seriously affecting more than 9,000 micro, medium and large companies," it said.

Allegedly, transportation is also adversely impacted, causing the commuters, patients, people with disabilities and senior citizens to suffer due to the heavy congestion on roads occupied by the protesting farmers, the rights panel said. There is an allegation that there is a "breach of the corona protocols by the agitating farmers at the protest sites". There is a further allegation that the inhabitants are not being allowed to move out of their houses due to the blockade of the passage, it added.

There are also reports that people have to travel long distances to reach their destinations due to the ongoing agitation, and barricades have been put on the state borders, it added.

Accordingly, the commission has issued notices to the chief secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi; and director generals of police, of the three states and Delhi police commissioner, asking them to submit their respective action taken reports, the statement said. Since the agitation involves the issue of human rights, whereas the right to agitate in a peaceful manner is also to be respected, the commission needs to take care of various human rights issues, the statement said.

Hence, the Commission besides issuing notices to various states has also taken a few more actions, officials said. The Institute of Economic Growth (IEG) had been asked to examine the adverse impact of the farmers' agitation on industrial and commercial activities and production, and disruption of transport services on commercial and normal consumers, including inconvenience and additional expenditure, among others, and to submit a comprehensive report in the matter by October 10, the statement said.

The NDMA, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health, have been asked to submit reports with respect to the adverse impact of farmers agitation on various aspects and observance of Covid-19 Protocols at the protests sites, it said. "In the case of alleged gangrape of a human rights activist at the protest site, no report was received from the DM, Jhajjar regarding the payment of compensation to the NOK (next of kin) of the deceased. A fresh reminder was issued to the DM, Jhajjar, to file the report by October 10," the statement said.

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Delhi School of Social Work, University of Delhi is requested to depute teams to conduct a survey and submit a report, assessing the disruption of livelihood, lives of people, impact on the aged and infirm persons due to protracted agitation by farmers, the rights panel said. Farmers from various states have been protesting at Singhu Border and Tikri Border of Delhi-Haryana, Ghazipur border of Delhi-Uttar Pradesh, and have camped their since November 25 last year, seeking repealing of the three new agri laws.

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