Punjab not to file cases against farmers for violation of Sec 144, Amarinder asks them to take protest to Delhi

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday announced the withdrawal of FIRs over violation of Section 144 filed against farmers in the state and said that no fresh cases would be registered against farmers for such violation.

An official release said the Chief Minister urged the farmers to take their protests over agriculture bills to Delhi, "at the doorstep of the central government" and assured them that the state Congress would stand with them in their fight.

"Captain Amarinder Singh appealed to farmers not to stop traffic or violate Section 144 over the Agriculture Bills, but made it clear that no cases would be registered against them for violation of Section 144 as they were fighting for their lives," the release said.

FIRs already registered against farmers protesting in violation of Section 144 would be withdrawn, the statement quoted the Chief Minister as saying and added "that farmers were violating the law as the ordinances would ruin them and their families".

"The state Congress and the government are with the farmers. The Centre's legislation will ruin Punjab and its agriculture, which is the backbone of our economy. The ordinances will pave the way for the end of the MSP regime, which will spell doom for Punjab, and in fact the whole nation," the release said.

Captain Amarinder Singh had said earlier today that he would challenge the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act in court and termed the legislation a "conspiracy by the Centre to destroy Punjab and its farmers".

Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the bill to amend the Essential Commodities Act that allows the central government to regulate the supply of certain food items only under extraordinary circumstances which may include war, famine, extraordinary price rise and natural calamity of grave nature.

( With inputs from ANI )