NHRC seeks report from three states on alleged flouting of Covid appropriate behaviour at farmers' protests

Ahead of farmers' Black Day protest, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday sought reports from Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments on a complaint alleging the protesters were flouting Covid-19 appropriate behaviour.

The NHRC asked the states to submit action taken reports regarding the steps taken to control the spread of Covid-19 infection at the protest sites of the farmers. The report is to be submitted within four weeks, a statement said.

Issuing the notices, the statement said, "the Commission has observed that the country is passing through an unprecedented and scary second wave of Covid-19, which has already claimed more than three lakh human lives and is still raging virulently in different parts of the country."

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"The Central and State Governments are struggling against all odds to save lives in the face of inadequate health facilities. Measures like lockdowns, containment zones and Covid protocols are employed to somehow overpower the deadly Covid, which is now leading to other serious diseases like black fungus, white fungus etc. In these extraordinary circumstances, our sole aim has to be saving human lives," it said.

The complainant claimed that over 300 farmers have died during these ongoing protests due to several reasons including Covid-19.

"The Cases of black fungus etc are also rising. He has sought intervention of the Commission apprehending that situation may become more worrisome as the farmers, in large numbers, are planning for observing 26th May, 2021 as the Black Day," the statement added.