Capt says 70 lawyers appointed in Delhi for legal aid; Cong meets Shah in two groups

The Punjab government has appointed 70 lawyers in Delhi to ensure quick legal aid to farmers booked by the Delhi Police, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh said Monday. Amarinder added that his government has also announced a helpline number 112 asking people to report cases of “missing persons” after Republic Day tractor parade.

In a tweet, the Punjab CM said: “Punjab government has already arranged a team of 70 lawyers in Delhi to ensure quick legal recourse to farmers booked by the Delhi Police. I will personally take up the issue of missing farmers with MHA and ensure these persons reach home safely. For assistance call 112.”

TWO CONG DELEGATIONS MEET SHAH

The CM also informed that his Cabinet colleagues met the Union Home Minister in Delhi over the issue Monday. However, differences within the Punjab Congress were once against out in the open as not one but two different teams of Congress leaders, including Congress MP Manish Tewari, Cabinet minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and another led by party’s Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa met Union Home Minister Amit Shah separately, seeking the whereabouts of agitating farmers allegedly missing since Republic Day.

While Randhawa, Cabinet minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria and Congress MLA Dr Raj Kumar flew in government chopper to reach Delhi to meet Amit Shah, with Tewari joining them, Bajwa and another Rajya Sabha MP Shamsher Singh Dullo met Shah later in the afternoon.

Both teams took up the issue of farmers who have been reported missing. A number of them have been arrested by the Delhi Police during the kisan tractor parade on Republic Day.

Randhawa said that Shah heard them out and immediately ordered the police to prepare a list of all those detained by the police and upload it on the police website. “By the time we returned, list of 119 was already uploaded on Ministry of Home Affairs website,” said Randhawa.

He said that Punjab government appointed advocates would meet the arrested persons and their families and fight legal battle to provide justice to these persons free of cost. The Cabinet ministers also said that they also appealed to the central government for lenient view towards the arrested persons.

Randhawa said they were sent to Delhi by the CM who had sought an appointment with Shah two days ago. Randhawa said the Union Home Minister was prompt and he had assured that they will locate the whereabouts of any persons who is stated to have disappeared.

Bajwa told The Indian Express that they had sought time from Shah two days ago and the appointment was already fixed.

“Shah was positive and he assured all kinds of help. We urged him to take a lenient view of these persons who have been arrested,” he said.

LIST OF 119

The list of 119 has 9 arrested under FIR number 31/21 at Mukherjee Nagar. Those arrested are from Patiala, Ferozepur, Mansa, Hoshiarpur, Khamno, Barnala and Yamuna Nagar in Haryana. As many as seven have been arrested by Nangloi police station. All these arrested are from Haryana. Another list of 31persons from Haryana and Punjab was also released who were arrested by Nangloi police. Uttam Nagar police has bound down one person from Delhi and arrested five. Najafgarh police has arrested seven, Seemapuri police has arrested three persons.

Three more persons are in the custody of Baba Haridas Nagar police, 15 are in custody of Paschim Vihar West police, 34 are in custody of Alipur Outer North police, and five are in custody of Mundka outer district police.

BAJWA QUESTIONS CAPT’S ALL PARTY MEETING

Bajwa, meanwhile, hit out at Amarinder, a day ahead of the latter’s all party meeting on farmers issues when he said the action was happening in Delhi and CM’s meeting in Chandigarh would be an exercise in futility.

“What is the idea behind the meeting in Chandigarh when all the action is happening in Delhi? The CM should hold the meeting in Delhi. I urge him to hold it in Delhi,” he said.

CM ASSURES ALL HELP

Amarinder said this his government would do everything to locate those missing after the R-Day violence.

“Our hearts are with those fighting for their rights at the Delhi borders,” said the Chief Minister, appealing to the people of Punjab to immediately dial 112 to report any case of a person missing during the tractor rally, even if no cases had been filed with respect of such persons so far.