Government trying to harass farmers, supporters: SKM on I-T raids at premises of Taapsee Pannu, Anurag Kashyap

NEW DELHI: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha condemned the income-tax raids on premises of Bollywood actor Taapsee Pannu, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and others on Wednesday, claiming that the Centre was trying to "harass" supporters of the agitation against farm laws.

The searches are part of an investigation against production house Phantom Films, which was dissolved in 2018, and its then promoters Kashyap, director-producer Vikramaditya Motwane, producer Vikas Bahl and producer-distributor Madhu Mantena.

The raids by the Income Tax Department were carried out across 30 locations in Mumbai and Pune in the morning and were continuing till evening.

In a statement, the SKM acknowledged the "fearless support" by many international and national celebrities, and well-known individuals who had been lending support to the farmers' movement against the contentious agriculture laws.

"Instead of fulfilling the farmers' legitimate demands, the government is seeking ways to harass and attack farmers and their supporters," the SKM, an umbrella organisation of many farmer unions, said.

The IT raids unleashed on Taapsee Pannu and others "are part of this desperate attempt by the government", it said, condemning the searches.

Both Kashyap and Pannu, who worked together in the 2018 film "Manmarziyaan" and are now collaborating in the upcoming film "Dobaara", are known to be outspoken about their views on a range of issues, including the farmers' protest against the three agri laws.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at three border points into Delhi since November 26 demanding a repeal of three farm laws.