Punjab and Haryana High Court has made strong comments on the farmers' movement. On the petition filed by farmer leader Balbir Rajewal and others, the High Court said that children are being put forward and used as ‘shields’ in the farmers' movement. The High Court said that it is a matter of great shame that demonstrations are being carried out with weapons in the presence of children.
The High Court had ordered a judicial inquiry into the death of protesting farmer Shubhkaran Singh, who had been killed on February 21 on the Haryana border by a rubber bullet to the back of his head.
The bench comprising Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) GS Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji came down heavy on the petitioners when the Haryana Government showed pictures of the protesting sites. “Children were being used a shields. This is absolutely shameful!...” remarked the ACJ.
The bench also questioned the Haryana Government on what kind of bullets were being used on the protestors by the Haryana Police. After reviewing the affidavit filed by the states, the court said that the death of Shubhkaran was apparently a case of excess police for. It also commented on Punjab Police’s delay in lodging an FIR on the death of the protestor, which was lodged 7 days after the death of Shubhkaran on February 21
Farmer leader Darshan Pal however denied the allegations saying that farmer organizations never demonstrated with weapons in front of children. Weapons and bullets were fired from the police side. The farmers had already said that they would go to Delhi on 13 February. He further said that if the government had given space to allow them to travel toRamlila Maidan in Delhi, such a situation would never have arisen. He asked why the government does not allow the farmers to raise their demands.