Delhi govt rejects police panel on farmers' protest, urges LG to 'reconsider', 'think with an open mind'
Jul 17, 2021
New Delhi [India], July 17 : After the Delhi Cabinet rejected the panel of lawyers suggested by Delhi Police for the cases linked to farmers' protest on Friday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj urged Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to reconsider his decision and "think with an open mind."
During a press conference in the national capital on Friday, Bhardwaj said, "We would like that he (Anil Baijal) would again use his conscience and understand this. Delhi's elected government appeals to him to reconsider it and then take his decision. We want him to think with an open mind."
The decision of rejecting the Delhi Police's panel was taken during a meeting of the Delhi Cabinet here and it will be sent to Anil Baijal for approval.
The cabinet decided that the Delhi government's lawyers will be public prosecutors in court in cases related to the farmers' protest.
Earlier on Thursday, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal rejected the government's proposal to appoint a panel of lawyers for the cases linked to farmers' protest, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) had said.
Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain had earlier rejected the list of lawyers suggested by the Delhi Police. The government said that the farmers have been protesting against the three farm laws for several months and the police have registered several cases against them.
Farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
