The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday strongly rapped the protesting farmers and said that they cannot use tractor trolleys on highways as per the Motor Vehicles Act.
The court also reminded the farmers to adhere to their constitutional duties, emphasising the importance of upholding these duties alongside their fundamental rights.
“According to the Motor Vehicles Act, you cannot use tractor trolleys on the highway. You are travelling from Amritsar to Delhi on trolleys. Everyone knows their fundamental rights, but there are also some constitutional duties that need to be followed,” the court said.
‘People should not collect in large numbers’
The court also told the Punjab government to make sure that people should not collect in large numbers anywhere. “They have the right to protest, but it is subject to reasonable restrictions,” it said.
During the hearing, the Centre informed the High Court that meetings had taken place with the protesting farmers on their demands.
In response, the High Court asked the Central government to file a fresh affidavit giving details of what had transpired in the meetings with the farmers.
The High Court adjourned the hearing to next week.
Protesting farmers reject govt’s proposal
Meanwhile, the farmers on Monday rejected the government’s proposal to purchase five crops at minimum support price (MSP) over the period of the next five years and said that “it is not in favour of farmers”.
Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said, ” After the discussion of both forums, it has been decided that if you analyse, there is nothing in the government’s proposal. This is not in the favour of farmers. We reject it.”
Tuesday’s hearing came a day after the farmer leaders rejected the Centre proposal and said that they would resume their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on Wednesday.
What was govt’s proposal?
Centre proposed to buy pulses, maize, and cotton crops by government agencies at minimum support prices for five years after an agreement with farmers at the fourth round of talks. Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai held the talks with farmer leaders at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Chandigarh.
